Heat pump vs Furnace in Aroostook County, Maine
When a heat pump makes sense
A heat pump still earns its place if you want cooling for summer and are willing to pair it with backup heat for the coldest nights. It has to be a cold-climate model, since a standard heat pump loses power at 4°F. Plan on something else carrying the load on the coldest nights, because even the cold-climate type is working hard at that temperature.
When a furnace makes sense
A furnace suits a home that needs steady heat for most of the year without a second system to lean on. At 4°F it keeps putting out full heat, with nothing lost to the cold the way a heat pump loses capacity. With gas costing at least 25% less than a heat pump to run here, a furnace also costs less to heat with through a season that runs about 10 months.
When a heat pump makes sense
A heat pump still earns its place if you want cooling for summer and are willing to pair it with backup heat for the coldest nights. It has to be a cold-climate model, since a standard heat pump loses power at 4°F. Plan on something else carrying the load on the coldest nights, because even the cold-climate type is working hard at that temperature.
When a furnace makes sense
A furnace suits a home that needs steady heat for most of the year without a second system to lean on. At 4°F it keeps putting out full heat, with nothing lost to the cold the way a heat pump loses capacity. With gas costing at least 25% less than a heat pump to run here, a furnace also costs less to heat with through a season that runs about 10 months.
Heat pump
- Runs on
- Electricity
- What it does
- Heats and cools
- Tax credit
- No federal tax credit since the end of 2025
Sources: U.S. Department of Energy · Internal Revenue Code
Furnace
- Runs on
- Natural gas
- What it does
- Heats only
- Tax credit
- No federal tax credit since the end of 2025
Sources: U.S. Department of Energy · Internal Revenue Code
Furnace wins in Aroostook County.
Nights averaging 4°F all winter favor a furnace, and gas here runs at least 25% cheaper to heat with than a heat pump.
If your home has no gas line to tap into, a cold-climate heat pump will still heat it through a 4°F night and cool it come summer.
Find a contractor| Compared on | Heat pump | Furnace |
|---|---|---|
| Cost to run here | Costs more to run | At least 25% less to run |
| What it does | Heats and cools | Heats only |
| Homes in New England that heat with one | 1.7% | 54.8% |
| Handles a 4°F night | Standard models lose heating power in the cold; cold-climate models are built for it | Yes |
Sources: U.S. Energy Information Administration, U.S. Department of Energy, NOAA
When a heat pump makes sense
A heat pump still earns its place if you want cooling for summer and are willing to pair it with backup heat for the coldest nights. It has to be a cold-climate model, since a standard heat pump loses power at 4°F. Plan on something else carrying the load on the coldest nights, because even the cold-climate type is working hard at that temperature.
When a furnace makes sense
A furnace suits a home that needs steady heat for most of the year without a second system to lean on. At 4°F it keeps putting out full heat, with nothing lost to the cold the way a heat pump loses capacity. With gas costing at least 25% less than a heat pump to run here, a furnace also costs less to heat with through a season that runs about 10 months.
A Aroostook County contractor will price both against your own house, your ductwork and your panel.
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