Heat pump vs Furnace in Rock County, Wisconsin
When a heat pump makes sense
A heat pump makes sense if you want cooling and heating in one system and you're prepared for what natural gas costs here to not apply to you. Choose a cold-climate model. Standard heat pumps lose heating power once temperatures drop toward 16°F, and that's a normal winter night in Rock County from December through February. Plan on a backup heat source for the coldest nights.
When a furnace makes sense
A furnace fits most homes in Rock County. Natural gas costs at least 45% less to heat with here than a heat pump does, and that gap holds all winter. Furnaces don't lose heating power in the cold, so those 16°F nights don't change how the system runs.
When a heat pump makes sense
A heat pump makes sense if you want cooling and heating in one system and you're prepared for what natural gas costs here to not apply to you. Choose a cold-climate model. Standard heat pumps lose heating power once temperatures drop toward 16°F, and that's a normal winter night in Rock County from December through February. Plan on a backup heat source for the coldest nights.
When a furnace makes sense
A furnace fits most homes in Rock County. Natural gas costs at least 45% less to heat with here than a heat pump does, and that gap holds all winter. Furnaces don't lose heating power in the cold, so those 16°F nights don't change how the system runs.
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 Rock County.
Winter nights here average 16°F, and gas heat runs at least 45% cheaper than a heat pump at Wisconsin prices.
If your home has no access to natural gas, a cold-climate heat pump will still heat it through a Rock County winter without that cost gap working against you.
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 16°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 you want cooling and heating in one system and you're prepared for what natural gas costs here to not apply to you. Choose a cold-climate model. Standard heat pumps lose heating power once temperatures drop toward 16°F, and that's a normal winter night in Rock County from December through February. Plan on a backup heat source for the coldest nights.
When a furnace makes sense
A furnace fits most homes in Rock County. Natural gas costs at least 45% less to heat with here than a heat pump does, and that gap holds all winter. Furnaces don't lose heating power in the cold, so those 16°F nights don't change how the system runs.
A Rock County contractor will price both against your own house, your ductwork and your panel.
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