Heat pump vs Furnace in Jefferson County, Missouri
When a heat pump makes sense
If you already heat with electricity, or you want one system that handles both heating and cooling, this is the cheaper way to run it here, about 15% less than gas at Missouri prices. Your winter nights average 25°F, cold enough that a standard heat pump will lose some of its punch, so look at a cold-climate model built to keep its output down there. It has to carry your home for about seven months a year, so that low-temperature performance matters more than it would somewhere milder.
When a furnace makes sense
If your home already has a gas line and you would rather keep heating and cooling as separate systems, a furnace is the straightforward choice. It runs on natural gas alone, so it does not lose capacity when your winter nights drop to 25°F, it puts out the same heat whether it is mild or bitter cold outside. About a third of homes in the county heat this way already, and it is worth choosing if you are not looking to change how your home is set up.
When a heat pump makes sense
If you already heat with electricity, or you want one system that handles both heating and cooling, this is the cheaper way to run it here, about 15% less than gas at Missouri prices. Your winter nights average 25°F, cold enough that a standard heat pump will lose some of its punch, so look at a cold-climate model built to keep its output down there. It has to carry your home for about seven months a year, so that low-temperature performance matters more than it would somewhere milder.
When a furnace makes sense
If your home already has a gas line and you would rather keep heating and cooling as separate systems, a furnace is the straightforward choice. It runs on natural gas alone, so it does not lose capacity when your winter nights drop to 25°F, it puts out the same heat whether it is mild or bitter cold outside. About a third of homes in the county heat this way already, and it is worth choosing if you are not looking to change how your home is set up.
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 Jefferson County.
Most homes in Jefferson County already heat with electricity, and a heat pump will run you about 15% less than gas here.
If your home already has gas line service and you want the furnace to keep up without a cold-climate heat pump, that's the case to stick with gas.
Find a contractor| Compared on | Heat pump | Furnace |
|---|---|---|
| Cost to run here | About 15% less to run | Costs more to run |
| What it does | Heats and cools | Heats only |
| Homes in the Plains states that heat with one | 5.4% | 77.6% |
| Handles a 25°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 already heat with electricity, or you want one system that handles both heating and cooling, this is the cheaper way to run it here, about 15% less than gas at Missouri prices. Your winter nights average 25°F, cold enough that a standard heat pump will lose some of its punch, so look at a cold-climate model built to keep its output down there. It has to carry your home for about seven months a year, so that low-temperature performance matters more than it would somewhere milder.
When a furnace makes sense
If your home already has a gas line and you would rather keep heating and cooling as separate systems, a furnace is the straightforward choice. It runs on natural gas alone, so it does not lose capacity when your winter nights drop to 25°F, it puts out the same heat whether it is mild or bitter cold outside. About a third of homes in the county heat this way already, and it is worth choosing if you are not looking to change how your home is set up.
A Jefferson County contractor will price both against your own house, your ductwork and your panel.
Tell us about the job
It takes about a minute.