Heat pump vs Furnace in Lincoln County, Wyoming
When a heat pump makes sense
If you want air conditioning as well as heat, a cold-climate heat pump is built to keep working when nights drop to 8°F, which a standard model is not. You will still want to know how it handles the coldest stretches of December through February before you count on it alone. Expect to run it nearly year round, since homes here need heat about 11 months of the year.
When a furnace makes sense
If winter nights averaging 8°F are your main concern, a furnace holds its full heat output no matter how cold it gets outside. Natural gas also costs at least 10% less to heat with here than electricity does, and with homes needing heat close to 11 months a year, that difference adds up. The tradeoff is that a furnace only heats, so cooling has to come from somewhere else.
When a heat pump makes sense
If you want air conditioning as well as heat, a cold-climate heat pump is built to keep working when nights drop to 8°F, which a standard model is not. You will still want to know how it handles the coldest stretches of December through February before you count on it alone. Expect to run it nearly year round, since homes here need heat about 11 months of the year.
When a furnace makes sense
If winter nights averaging 8°F are your main concern, a furnace holds its full heat output no matter how cold it gets outside. Natural gas also costs at least 10% less to heat with here than electricity does, and with homes needing heat close to 11 months a year, that difference adds up. The tradeoff is that a furnace only heats, so cooling has to come from somewhere else.
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 Lincoln County.
Winter nights here average 8°F from December through February, and a standard heat pump loses power right when you need heat most. A furnace doesn't.
If your home doesn't have gas line access, or you want cooling and heating from one system, a cold-climate heat pump is worth a look.
Find a contractor| Compared on | Heat pump | Furnace |
|---|---|---|
| Cost to run here | Costs more to run | At least 10% less to run |
| What it does | Heats and cools | Heats only |
| Homes in the Mountain West that heat with one | 9.1% | 69.6% |
| Handles a 8°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
If you want air conditioning as well as heat, a cold-climate heat pump is built to keep working when nights drop to 8°F, which a standard model is not. You will still want to know how it handles the coldest stretches of December through February before you count on it alone. Expect to run it nearly year round, since homes here need heat about 11 months of the year.
When a furnace makes sense
If winter nights averaging 8°F are your main concern, a furnace holds its full heat output no matter how cold it gets outside. Natural gas also costs at least 10% less to heat with here than electricity does, and with homes needing heat close to 11 months a year, that difference adds up. The tradeoff is that a furnace only heats, so cooling has to come from somewhere else.
A Lincoln County contractor will price both against your own house, your ductwork and your panel.
Tell us about the job
It takes about a minute.