iTechGuides is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Learn more
Neither a heat pump nor a gas furnace is right for every home. A heat pump can heat and cool, but its cold-weather performance and running cost depend on the model, system design, local utility rates and the home’s heat loss. A gas furnace may be the better fit where gas prices, existing equipment or winter requirements favor it. In colder climates, compare a dual-fuel system as well. The best choice comes from a load calculation and comparable local installation and operating-cost estimates—not a national average.
How the systems differ
A heat pump moves heat rather than burning fuel to produce it. In winter, an air-source heat pump transfers heat from outdoor air into the home; in summer, it can reverse the process and provide cooling. A gas furnace burns natural gas to heat air. A dual-fuel system combines a heat pump and gas furnace, with controls that determine when to use each.
| Option | Heating and cooling | What to establish for your home |
|---|---|---|
| Air-source heat pump | Provides heating and can provide cooling. | Model-specific capacity in local winter conditions, backup plan, electricity cost, and whether the existing ducts and electrical service are suitable. |
| Gas furnace | Provides heating; cooling requires a separate air-conditioning system. | The furnace’s actual AFUE rating, local gas cost, annual heating load, and whether central AC is already installed or planned. |
| Dual-fuel system | Uses a heat pump and gas furnace, switching between them according to system controls and conditions. | Changeover settings, the rates assumed by the installer, and whether both pieces of equipment are sized and controlled together. |
Will a heat pump work in your winter weather?
Cold-weather suitability is model- and design-specific. ENERGY STAR’s air-source heat-pump guidance uses 5°F as the low outdoor temperature for cold-climate certification testing. That figure describes a certification test point; it does not mean every heat pump has the same output or efficiency at 5°F, or below it.
Ask for the exact model’s capacity and efficiency at the winter temperatures relevant to your location, not just its general product category. ENERGY STAR recommends choosing equipment suited to the home and consulting a contractor where winter temperatures regularly fall below freezing. Discuss what provides backup heat, how the controls operate and the outdoor temperature at which a dual-fuel system changes over. A backup source may improve heating economics at still lower temperatures, but whether it makes sense depends on the home and local energy prices.
#1 Best Overall
- Accessories such as Linesets, thermostats, LP conversion kits, Sold Separately
- ACCESSORIES - Sold separately unless specified in this listing
- Uses the HKSC/HKSX series of heat kits; NOT the HKR series
- Uses the HKSC/HKSX series of heat kits; NOT the HKR series
A gas furnace may suit a home whose cold-weather requirements, existing infrastructure or local gas economics favor it. A heat pump may suit a home that can meet its heating load with a properly selected model and would also benefit from integrated cooling. Neither description is a recommendation without the home’s load, climate and rates.
Which costs less to run?
There is no reliable answer from the equipment labels alone. Operating cost depends on the home’s heating load, local electricity and gas prices, climate, equipment performance and how the system is used. Compare estimates made with the same assumptions, using your actual tariffs and expected use. Where relevant, account for fixed utility charges separately.
Rank #2
- Home Comfort Solution: Elevate your living with Goodman's standout HVAC products. Merge the efficiency of the Goodman 2 Ton 15.2 SEER2 Heat Pump GLZS4BA2410and the Goodman Multi-Position Air handler AMST24BU1300. This duo forms the basis of a system, promising efficient heating and cooling and precision in temperature control, all crafted to deliver sustained performance over years. Note that you will want a heat kit if you live in a cold climate.
- Efficient and Reliable Cooling: Dive into a cooling experience with Goodman's 2 Ton 15.2 SEER2 Single Stage Heat Pump GLZS4BA2410. Designed for user-friendliness, it includes service valves, gauge ports, and inspection points. Pre-charged for 15’ of tubing, it's ready to ensure your home's comfort.,Couple its enduring build with a reassuring 10-year parts warranty, and you're set for efficient and reliable cooling throughout the year.
- Upgrade Your HVAC System: Goodman's Multi-Position Air handler AMST24BU1300 represents HVAC evolution. Constructed with corrosion-resistant aluminum, it boasts grooved tubing for better heat transfer. Rigorous helium pressure tests during its making vouch for its quality. This unit is tailored for versatile, long-standing cooling and heating needs.
- Versatile with Wide Compatibility: The AC unit stands out with its factory-installed filter drier, ensuring cleaner operation. Fully charged and ready for action, its design features secure performance optimization. The Horizontal coil design streamlines airflow, fortifying its reliability and efficiency credentials.
- This system uses R-32 refrigerant.
For furnaces, compare the specific model’s AFUE rating rather than assuming all gas furnaces are alike. A U.S. Department of Energy Federal Energy Management Program example, updated in 2024, compares northern-region 70,000 Btu/h furnaces rated at 95% and 80% AFUE. Its annual and lifetime cost estimates use a federal-facility natural-gas price assumption of $0.961 per therm and a 21-year calculation. Those figures describe that scenario; they are not a household forecast or a direct comparison with a heat pump.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →DOE/FEMP and ENERGY STAR offer calculators that can help organize a comparison, but the result depends on the inputs. Ask each contractor to use matching assumptions for the home’s load, utility rates, equipment and operating conditions. A national figure or a scenario based on different energy prices should not stand in for your household calculation.
Rank #3
- Home Comfort Solution: Elevate your living with Goodman's standout HVAC products. Merge the efficiency of the Goodman 4 Ton 15.2 SEER2 Heat Pump GLZS4BA4810 and the Goodman Multi-Position Air handler AMST48CU1300. This duo forms the basis of a system, promising efficient heating and cooling and precision in temperature control, all crafted to deliver sustained performance over years. Note that you will want a heat kit if you live in a cold climate.
- Efficient and Reliable Cooling: Dive into a cooling experience with Goodman's 4 Ton 15.2 SEER2 Single Stage Heat Pump GLZS4BA4810. Designed for user-friendliness, it includes service valves, gauge ports, and inspection points. Pre-charged for 15’ of tubing, it's ready to ensure your home's comfort.,Couple its enduring build with a reassuring 10-year parts warranty, and you're set for efficient and reliable cooling throughout the year.
- Upgrade Your HVAC System: Goodman's Multi-Position Air handler AMST48CU1300 represents HVAC evolution. Constructed with corrosion-resistant aluminum, it boasts grooved tubing for better heat transfer. Rigorous helium pressure tests during its making vouch for its quality. This unit is tailored for versatile, long-standing cooling and heating needs.
- Efficient Cooling: The AMST48CU1300 R-32 only air handler features internal factory-installed thermal expansion valves that optimize cooling, ensuring efficient operation. The unit is equipped with appropriately sized evaporator coil tubes, ensuring effective transfer and improved cooling performance. Featuring a direct-drive, 9-speed ECM blower motor, ensuring efficient airflow and enhanced comfort. The coil mounting track enables easy repositioning and flexible installation options.Flexible Installation: The Goodman AMST48CU1300 air handler can be installed in an upflow, horizontal right or horizontal left configuration.
- AHRI certified. See certificate number 215213861. This system uses R-32 refrigerant.
Compare installed costs, not just equipment prices
Get written bids that identify the full scope. A system that looks less expensive as equipment alone may require electrical work, duct changes, controls, permits or other installation work. If you are comparing a heat pump with a furnace, also account for cooling: a heat pump can provide both heating and cooling, while a furnace does not provide air conditioning.
- Ask contractors to list equipment, controls, electrical or panel upgrades, ductwork, permits, removal, commissioning and warranty assumptions separately.
- Confirm whether existing central AC is staying, being replaced or would otherwise need to be installed.
- Compare bids based on the same heating load, utility rates, backup plan and assumptions about system use.
- Ask what maintenance and service support are available for the proposed equipment in your area.
Do not treat a lower quote as a like-for-like comparison until you know which work and equipment it includes.
Rank #4
- · Not Compatible: Two transformer systems, Conventional multi-stage systems, Dual fuel/hybrid heating, Electric baseboard heat (110-240 volts), Line voltage, Convectors, Radiant-ceiling heat, Mini split systems and 12V RV systems.
- · Easy to Install and Use: Large terminal blocks with universal sub-base, can be installed within 30 minutes, clear, easy-to-read backlight LCD display and easy controls make for a user-friendly experience.
- · Dual Power Supply: Can be powered by 24VAC power or 2 AAA batteries, No common wire (C-wire) required on most systems (only required on heat only and cool only systems).
- · Simple but Powerful Control: Easy-access front-load battery compartment, adjustable temperature differential (swing) for energy optimization and maximum system life, Support temperature
- · High Compatibility: Heat pump multi-stage systems or conventional single-stage systems, Forced air (gas, oil or electric), Electric furnace, Hot water steam or gravity radiant heat, Heat only systems, Heat pump w/o or with auxiliary or emergency heat, Millivolt conventional systems, Gas fireplaces (24V), Floor or wall furnaces, Cool only systems.(TIP: Before purchasing, check to see if this thermostat is compatible with your system.) auxiliary or emergency heat, Millivolt, Gas fireplaces (24V), Floor or wall furnaces, Cool only systems.(TIP: Before purchasing, check to see if this thermostat is compatible with your system.)
Check the house and the design before choosing
Equipment selection starts with the home’s heat loss, not a rule of thumb based only on floor area. ENERGY STAR recommends asking the contractor to verify the heating and cooling load with a Manual J calculation. The proposed equipment should be sized for the home and local conditions; undersized or oversized equipment can struggle to meet comfort needs.
Recommended Free Tools
- Request the load calculation. Ask for the Manual J result and the proposed equipment sizing.
- Review cold-weather performance. For a heat pump in a cold climate, request model-specific low-temperature capacity data and confirmation of whether that exact model meets ENERGY STAR Cold Climate criteria. The criteria include a coefficient-of-performance threshold and a minimum share of heating capacity retained at 5°F; certification measurements do not guarantee the performance of every installation.
- Get the backup and control plan in writing. Ask what supplies heat when the heat pump cannot meet demand, the changeover temperature if the system is dual-fuel, and how the thermostat and controls will operate.
- Inspect ducts and the building envelope. Ask about duct sizing, leakage and insulation, as well as air sealing and other weatherization opportunities. DOE recommends weatherizing homes switching from gas heat to a heat pump, particularly older homes. ENERGY STAR says sealing and insulating ducts can improve system efficiency by as much as 20%; that is a possible improvement, not a promised result for every home.
- Check electrical readiness. Have the contractor assess whether the existing electrical service can support the proposed equipment and identify any upgrades in the bid.
When is dual fuel worth considering?
Dual fuel is an option to price when a heat pump can cover some conditions but a gas furnace may be useful as backup or at colder temperatures. The system’s value depends on how it is designed and controlled, and on the relative cost of electricity and gas. Ask the installer what rates and outdoor temperatures inform the changeover setting and whether the proposed equipment is sized as a coordinated system. Do not assume a hybrid setup will automatically cost less or suit every cold-climate home.
Best Value
- · Not Compatible: Two transformer systems, Conventional multi-stage systems, Dual fuel/hybrid heating, Electric baseboard heat (110-240 volts), Line voltage, Convectors, Radiant-ceiling heat, Mini split systems and 12V RV systems.
- · Easy to Install and Use: Large terminal blocks with universal sub-base, can be installed within 30 minutes, clear, easy-to-read backlight LCD display and easy controls make for a user-friendly experience.
- · Factory Pre-set Energy-efficiency Program: 7-day, 5/1/1 easy-to-understand programming menus, flexible programming lets you sync your comfort with your schedule.
- · Simple but Powerful Control: Easy-access front-load battery compartment, adjustable temperature differential (swing) for energy optimization and maximum system life, Support temperature
- ·High Compatibility: Heat pump multi-stage systems or conventional single-stage systems, Forced air (gas, oil or electric), Electric furnace, Hot water steam or gravity radiant heat, Heat only systems, Heat pump w/o or with auxiliary or emergency heat, Millivolt conventional systems, Gas fireplaces (24V), Floor or wall furnaces, Cool only systems.(TIP: Before purchasing, check to see if this thermostat is compatible with your system.)
What about incentives?
As of October 4, 2026, do not assume a federal tax credit applies to a heat-pump installation. ENERGY STAR’s air-source heat-pump credit page and its heat-pump product page give conflicting information about the credit’s end date. Check current IRS guidance and applicable state or utility programs for your location and installation date before counting any incentive in the decision. Incentives can change and are location-dependent.
A practical decision checklist
- Choose a heat pump to investigate if a properly sized model can meet the home’s load in local winter conditions and its installed and operating costs compare favorably using your rates. Include its cooling capability in the comparison if you need air conditioning.
- Keep a gas furnace in the comparison if gas economics, existing infrastructure or the home’s cold-weather requirements make it a credible option. Compare actual AFUE and local fuel cost rather than relying on generic assumptions.
- Request a dual-fuel bid if you want to compare heat-pump operation with a gas backup or changeover strategy, especially where winter conditions merit a closer look at backup heat.
- Pause before accepting any bid if it lacks a load calculation, model-specific cold-weather information where relevant, a clear backup and controls plan, or an itemized installation scope.
For households with high heating and cooling bills or long periods when the home is unoccupied, ENERGY STAR estimates that a certified smart thermostat may save approximately $100 per year. The potential savings are conditional, not universal; verify that a thermostat is compatible with the specific furnace, heat pump or dual-fuel controls before choosing one.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches
