Heat pump vs Furnace in Baltimore County, Maryland
When a heat pump makes sense
If your home already has gas service and you're just deciding what to install, a furnace is worth a close look before you commit to a heat pump. A heat pump still makes sense if you want cooling and heating from one system, or if there's no gas line to the house and running one isn't an option. Just plan on a cold-climate model. Baltimore County winter nights average 26°F, and a standard heat pump loses heating power at that temperature while a cold-climate one is built to keep up.
When a furnace makes sense
For most homes here, a furnace is the cheaper way to get through the winter. Natural gas runs at least 15% less than a heat pump at Maryland prices, and you're only heating about seven months of the year, so that gap adds up over a full season. It's also the choice more of your neighbors have already made, with 52% of homes in Baltimore County heating with gas. The one thing a furnace won't do is cool your home, so you'd still need a separate air conditioner for summer.
When a heat pump makes sense
If your home already has gas service and you're just deciding what to install, a furnace is worth a close look before you commit to a heat pump. A heat pump still makes sense if you want cooling and heating from one system, or if there's no gas line to the house and running one isn't an option. Just plan on a cold-climate model. Baltimore County winter nights average 26°F, and a standard heat pump loses heating power at that temperature while a cold-climate one is built to keep up.
When a furnace makes sense
For most homes here, a furnace is the cheaper way to get through the winter. Natural gas runs at least 15% less than a heat pump at Maryland prices, and you're only heating about seven months of the year, so that gap adds up over a full season. It's also the choice more of your neighbors have already made, with 52% of homes in Baltimore County heating with gas. The one thing a furnace won't do is cool your home, so you'd still need a separate air conditioner 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
Furnace wins in Baltimore County.
Gas heat costs at least 15% less than a heat pump here, and most of your neighbors already heat with gas.
If your home has no gas line, a cold climate heat pump will still heat it through those 26 degree nights and cool it come summer.
Find a contractor| Compared on | Heat pump | Furnace |
|---|---|---|
| Cost to run here | Costs more to run | At least 15% 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 26°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 has gas service and you're just deciding what to install, a furnace is worth a close look before you commit to a heat pump. A heat pump still makes sense if you want cooling and heating from one system, or if there's no gas line to the house and running one isn't an option. Just plan on a cold-climate model. Baltimore County winter nights average 26°F, and a standard heat pump loses heating power at that temperature while a cold-climate one is built to keep up.
When a furnace makes sense
For most homes here, a furnace is the cheaper way to get through the winter. Natural gas runs at least 15% less than a heat pump at Maryland prices, and you're only heating about seven months of the year, so that gap adds up over a full season. It's also the choice more of your neighbors have already made, with 52% of homes in Baltimore County heating with gas. The one thing a furnace won't do is cool your home, so you'd still need a separate air conditioner for summer.
A Baltimore County contractor will price both against your own house, your ductwork and your panel.
Tell us about the job
It takes about a minute.