Heat pump vs Furnace in Bronx County, New York
When a heat pump makes sense
A heat pump makes sense if you want cooling and heating in one system and you are not relying on gas. Get a cold-climate model. Your winter nights here average 28°F, and a standard heat pump loses heating power in that kind of cold. Expect to pay more to run it than a gas furnace, since electric heat costs at least 35% more here at New York prices.
When a furnace makes sense
A furnace fits most homes in Bronx County. It costs at least 35% less to run than a heat pump at New York prices, and 52% of homes here already heat with gas. It only heats, so cooling means a separate system. With heat needed about seven months of the year here, that running cost difference adds up fast.
When a heat pump makes sense
A heat pump makes sense if you want cooling and heating in one system and you are not relying on gas. Get a cold-climate model. Your winter nights here average 28°F, and a standard heat pump loses heating power in that kind of cold. Expect to pay more to run it than a gas furnace, since electric heat costs at least 35% more here at New York prices.
When a furnace makes sense
A furnace fits most homes in Bronx County. It costs at least 35% less to run than a heat pump at New York prices, and 52% of homes here already heat with gas. It only heats, so cooling means a separate system. With heat needed about seven months of the year here, that running cost difference adds up fast.
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 Bronx County.
Gas heat costs at least 35% less here, most homes are already set up for it, and older housing stock like this favors a furnace.
If your home has no gas line, a cold-climate heat pump will still heat it and cool it too.
Find a contractor| Compared on | Heat pump | Furnace |
|---|---|---|
| Cost to run here | Costs more to run | At least 35% less to run |
| What it does | Heats and cools | Heats only |
| Homes in the Mid-Atlantic that heat with one | 4.2% | 51.4% |
| Handles a 28°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 are not relying on gas. Get a cold-climate model. Your winter nights here average 28°F, and a standard heat pump loses heating power in that kind of cold. Expect to pay more to run it than a gas furnace, since electric heat costs at least 35% more here at New York prices.
When a furnace makes sense
A furnace fits most homes in Bronx County. It costs at least 35% less to run than a heat pump at New York prices, and 52% of homes here already heat with gas. It only heats, so cooling means a separate system. With heat needed about seven months of the year here, that running cost difference adds up fast.
A Bronx County contractor will price both against your own house, your ductwork and your panel.
Tell us about the job
It takes about a minute.