Heat pump vs Furnace in La Crosse County, Wisconsin
When a heat pump makes sense
If you want central air conditioning along with heat, a cold-climate heat pump is built to keep working through nights at 12°F, which a standard model cannot do. It runs on electricity, so it makes sense for a home without a gas line or for someone who wants one system for both jobs. Expect to pay more to heat with it here than with gas, since electricity runs at least 45% higher for the same heat at Wisconsin's rates.
When a furnace makes sense
For most homes here, a furnace is the cheaper way through a winter that runs about 8 months and drops to 12°F on a typical night. It runs on natural gas, so it holds its heating power no matter how cold it gets outside, and it costs at least 45% less to run than a heat pump at Wisconsin gas and electric rates. It's also the setup most homes in the county already have, so if you're replacing one furnace with another, little else has to change.
When a heat pump makes sense
If you want central air conditioning along with heat, a cold-climate heat pump is built to keep working through nights at 12°F, which a standard model cannot do. It runs on electricity, so it makes sense for a home without a gas line or for someone who wants one system for both jobs. Expect to pay more to heat with it here than with gas, since electricity runs at least 45% higher for the same heat at Wisconsin's rates.
When a furnace makes sense
For most homes here, a furnace is the cheaper way through a winter that runs about 8 months and drops to 12°F on a typical night. It runs on natural gas, so it holds its heating power no matter how cold it gets outside, and it costs at least 45% less to run than a heat pump at Wisconsin gas and electric rates. It's also the setup most homes in the county already have, so if you're replacing one furnace with another, little else has to change.
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 La Crosse County.
Nights here average 12°F all winter, and gas heat costs at least 45% less than a heat pump at Wisconsin prices.
If your home has no gas line to it, a cold-climate heat pump still heats and cools it with a single system.
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 12°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 central air conditioning along with heat, a cold-climate heat pump is built to keep working through nights at 12°F, which a standard model cannot do. It runs on electricity, so it makes sense for a home without a gas line or for someone who wants one system for both jobs. Expect to pay more to heat with it here than with gas, since electricity runs at least 45% higher for the same heat at Wisconsin's rates.
When a furnace makes sense
For most homes here, a furnace is the cheaper way through a winter that runs about 8 months and drops to 12°F on a typical night. It runs on natural gas, so it holds its heating power no matter how cold it gets outside, and it costs at least 45% less to run than a heat pump at Wisconsin gas and electric rates. It's also the setup most homes in the county already have, so if you're replacing one furnace with another, little else has to change.
A La Crosse County contractor will price both against your own house, your ductwork and your panel.
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