Heat pump vs Furnace in Boone County, Missouri
When a heat pump makes sense
If you already have central air, a heat pump lets you replace two systems with one, since it heats and cools. Get a cold-climate model. Winter nights here average 24°F, and standard heat pumps lose their heating power in cold like that, where cold-climate models are built to keep working. At Missouri electricity and gas prices, heating with a heat pump costs about 15% less than heating with gas.
When a furnace makes sense
If your home already has a gas line and ductwork for a furnace, staying with gas is the simpler path. Nearly half the homes in the county heat with gas, and a furnace does not lose capacity as the temperature drops, which matters through the seven months a year this county needs heat.
When a heat pump makes sense
If you already have central air, a heat pump lets you replace two systems with one, since it heats and cools. Get a cold-climate model. Winter nights here average 24°F, and standard heat pumps lose their heating power in cold like that, where cold-climate models are built to keep working. At Missouri electricity and gas prices, heating with a heat pump costs about 15% less than heating with gas.
When a furnace makes sense
If your home already has a gas line and ductwork for a furnace, staying with gas is the simpler path. Nearly half the homes in the county heat with gas, and a furnace does not lose capacity as the temperature drops, which matters through the seven months a year this county needs heat.
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 Boone County.
It runs about 15% cheaper than gas here, and most homes in the county are old enough that a cold-climate model is worth the upgrade.
If your home is already set up with a gas furnace and it is running fine, there is no need to switch it out for a heat pump.
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 24°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 have central air, a heat pump lets you replace two systems with one, since it heats and cools. Get a cold-climate model. Winter nights here average 24°F, and standard heat pumps lose their heating power in cold like that, where cold-climate models are built to keep working. At Missouri electricity and gas prices, heating with a heat pump costs about 15% less than heating with gas.
When a furnace makes sense
If your home already has a gas line and ductwork for a furnace, staying with gas is the simpler path. Nearly half the homes in the county heat with gas, and a furnace does not lose capacity as the temperature drops, which matters through the seven months a year this county needs heat.
A Boone County contractor will price both against your own house, your ductwork and your panel.
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