Heat pump vs Furnace in Brown County, Wisconsin
When a heat pump makes sense
If you want air conditioning as well as heat from one system, a heat pump gives you both. Get a cold-climate model, since standard heat pumps lose heating power once temperatures drop, and Brown County winter nights average 14°F. Plan on it running against natural gas prices that favor the furnace here, so weigh that against the comfort of one system that does both jobs.
When a furnace makes sense
If your priority is keeping heating costs down through a long winter, the furnace is the right call here. Natural gas runs at least 45% cheaper than a heat pump at Wisconsin prices, and this area needs heat about 9 months of the year, so that gap adds up. A furnace also keeps its full output no matter how cold the night gets outside, which matters when winter lows average 14°F. It won't cool your home in summer, so you would need a separate air conditioner for that.
When a heat pump makes sense
If you want air conditioning as well as heat from one system, a heat pump gives you both. Get a cold-climate model, since standard heat pumps lose heating power once temperatures drop, and Brown County winter nights average 14°F. Plan on it running against natural gas prices that favor the furnace here, so weigh that against the comfort of one system that does both jobs.
When a furnace makes sense
If your priority is keeping heating costs down through a long winter, the furnace is the right call here. Natural gas runs at least 45% cheaper than a heat pump at Wisconsin prices, and this area needs heat about 9 months of the year, so that gap adds up. A furnace also keeps its full output no matter how cold the night gets outside, which matters when winter lows average 14°F. It won't cool your home in summer, so you would need a separate air conditioner for that.
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 Brown County.
Winter nights here average 14°F, and gas heat costs at least 45% less than a heat pump, which is why most homes around you heat with gas.
If your home also needs central air and you would rather run one system instead of two, a cold-climate heat pump is still worth a look.
Find a contractor| Compared on | Heat pump | Furnace |
|---|---|---|
| Cost to run here | Costs more to run | At least 45% less to run |
| What it does | Heats and cools | Heats only |
| Homes in the Great Lakes states that heat with one | 3.4% | 78.8% |
| Handles a 14°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 from one system, a heat pump gives you both. Get a cold-climate model, since standard heat pumps lose heating power once temperatures drop, and Brown County winter nights average 14°F. Plan on it running against natural gas prices that favor the furnace here, so weigh that against the comfort of one system that does both jobs.
When a furnace makes sense
If your priority is keeping heating costs down through a long winter, the furnace is the right call here. Natural gas runs at least 45% cheaper than a heat pump at Wisconsin prices, and this area needs heat about 9 months of the year, so that gap adds up. A furnace also keeps its full output no matter how cold the night gets outside, which matters when winter lows average 14°F. It won't cool your home in summer, so you would need a separate air conditioner for that.
A Brown County contractor will price both against your own house, your ductwork and your panel.
Tell us about the job
It takes about a minute.