Heat pump vs Furnace in Raleigh County, West Virginia
When a heat pump makes sense
If your home already heats with electricity, a heat pump is the natural fit, and that's the case for most homes in Raleigh County. Look for a cold-climate model rather than a standard one, since standard heat pumps lose heating power as the temperature drops and winter nights here average 25°F. A cold-climate heat pump also gives you cooling from the same equipment, which a furnace can't do.
When a furnace makes sense
If gas line is already run to your home, a furnace is worth weighing against a heat pump on cost alone. Natural gas heat runs at least 10% cheaper here than a heat pump at West Virginia's electricity prices, and with about 8 months of heating a year, that difference adds up. A furnace won't cool your home, so you would still need separate air conditioning for summer.
When a heat pump makes sense
If your home already heats with electricity, a heat pump is the natural fit, and that's the case for most homes in Raleigh County. Look for a cold-climate model rather than a standard one, since standard heat pumps lose heating power as the temperature drops and winter nights here average 25°F. A cold-climate heat pump also gives you cooling from the same equipment, which a furnace can't do.
When a furnace makes sense
If gas line is already run to your home, a furnace is worth weighing against a heat pump on cost alone. Natural gas heat runs at least 10% cheaper here than a heat pump at West Virginia's electricity prices, and with about 8 months of heating a year, that difference adds up. A furnace won't cool your home, so you would still need separate air conditioning for summer.
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 Raleigh County.
Most homes here already heat with electricity, so a heat pump fits what's running to the house instead of adding a gas line for a furnace.
If your home already has a gas line and you would rather keep gas heat, a furnace still costs less to run here than a heat pump.
Find a contractor| Compared on | Heat pump | Furnace |
|---|---|---|
| Cost to run here | Costs more to run | At least 10% less to run |
| What it does | Heats and cools | Heats only |
| Homes in the South Atlantic states that heat with one | 30.1% | 48% |
| 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 your home already heats with electricity, a heat pump is the natural fit, and that's the case for most homes in Raleigh County. Look for a cold-climate model rather than a standard one, since standard heat pumps lose heating power as the temperature drops and winter nights here average 25°F. A cold-climate heat pump also gives you cooling from the same equipment, which a furnace can't do.
When a furnace makes sense
If gas line is already run to your home, a furnace is worth weighing against a heat pump on cost alone. Natural gas heat runs at least 10% cheaper here than a heat pump at West Virginia's electricity prices, and with about 8 months of heating a year, that difference adds up. A furnace won't cool your home, so you would still need separate air conditioning for summer.
A Raleigh County contractor will price both against your own house, your ductwork and your panel.
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