Heat pump vs Furnace in Clark County, Washington
When a heat pump makes sense
A heat pump makes sense if your home already heats with electricity and you want cooling too, since one system does both. Winter nights here average 35°F, which a standard heat pump can handle, though a cold-climate model is worth asking about if you want more reserve on the coldest nights. It is worth knowing that only 4.8% of homes in this region heat with a heat pump, so ask an installer plenty of questions if you have not lived with one before.
When a furnace makes sense
A furnace fits if your home is already piped for natural gas and you want the lower running cost that comes with it. Gas heat here costs at least 5% less than a heat pump at Washington prices, and with about 9 months of heating a year, that difference adds up. The tradeoff is that a furnace only heats, so cooling would need a separate system.
When a heat pump makes sense
A heat pump makes sense if your home already heats with electricity and you want cooling too, since one system does both. Winter nights here average 35°F, which a standard heat pump can handle, though a cold-climate model is worth asking about if you want more reserve on the coldest nights. It is worth knowing that only 4.8% of homes in this region heat with a heat pump, so ask an installer plenty of questions if you have not lived with one before.
When a furnace makes sense
A furnace fits if your home is already piped for natural gas and you want the lower running cost that comes with it. Gas heat here costs at least 5% less than a heat pump at Washington prices, and with about 9 months of heating a year, that difference adds up. The tradeoff is that a furnace only heats, so cooling would need a separate system.
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 Clark County.
Most homes here already run on electric heat, and yours is likely old enough that a heat pump fits without much rework.
If your home already has a gas line and a lower monthly bill matters more to you than having cooling built in, a furnace still makes sense.
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
A heat pump makes sense if your home already heats with electricity and you want cooling too, since one system does both. Winter nights here average 35°F, which a standard heat pump can handle, though a cold-climate model is worth asking about if you want more reserve on the coldest nights. It is worth knowing that only 4.8% of homes in this region heat with a heat pump, so ask an installer plenty of questions if you have not lived with one before.
When a furnace makes sense
A furnace fits if your home is already piped for natural gas and you want the lower running cost that comes with it. Gas heat here costs at least 5% less than a heat pump at Washington prices, and with about 9 months of heating a year, that difference adds up. The tradeoff is that a furnace only heats, so cooling would need a separate system.
A Clark County contractor will price both against your own house, your ductwork and your panel.
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