Heat pump vs Furnace in Kitsap County, Washington
When a heat pump makes sense
If your home already heats with electricity, a heat pump is the natural fit. It also gives you cooling for the few warm months, which a furnace can't. Winter nights here average 35°F, cold enough that you want a cold-climate model rather than a standard one, since standard heat pumps lose heating power at those temperatures.
When a furnace makes sense
If your home already has a gas line and gas service, a furnace is worth keeping. Natural gas runs at least 5% cheaper than a heat pump here at Washington prices, and with heat needed around 10 months a year, that difference adds up. Just remember it only heats, so you would need a separate way to cool the house.
When a heat pump makes sense
If your home already heats with electricity, a heat pump is the natural fit. It also gives you cooling for the few warm months, which a furnace can't. Winter nights here average 35°F, cold enough that you want a cold-climate model rather than a standard one, since standard heat pumps lose heating power at those temperatures.
When a furnace makes sense
If your home already has a gas line and gas service, a furnace is worth keeping. Natural gas runs at least 5% cheaper than a heat pump here at Washington prices, and with heat needed around 10 months a year, that difference adds up. Just remember it only heats, so you would need a separate way to cool the house.
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
Heat pump wins in Kitsap County.
Winter nights here only average 35°F, mild enough for a heat pump to keep up, and most homes around you already heat with electricity.
If your home already runs on gas and you don't need air conditioning, a furnace still costs less to heat with here.
Find a contractor| Compared on | Heat pump | Furnace |
|---|---|---|
| Cost to run here | Costs more to run | At least 5% less to run |
| What it does | Heats and cools | Heats only |
| Homes in the Pacific states that heat with one | 4.8% | 56.9% |
| Handles a 35°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 your home already heats with electricity, a heat pump is the natural fit. It also gives you cooling for the few warm months, which a furnace can't. Winter nights here average 35°F, cold enough that you want a cold-climate model rather than a standard one, since standard heat pumps lose heating power at those temperatures.
When a furnace makes sense
If your home already has a gas line and gas service, a furnace is worth keeping. Natural gas runs at least 5% cheaper than a heat pump here at Washington prices, and with heat needed around 10 months a year, that difference adds up. Just remember it only heats, so you would need a separate way to cool the house.
A Kitsap County contractor will price both against your own house, your ductwork and your panel.
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