Heat pump vs Furnace in Silver Bow County, Montana
When a heat pump makes sense
A heat pump makes sense if you want air conditioning as well as heat and you are set on staying electric. Look for a cold-climate model, since standard heat pumps lose heating power at 14°F and that is a normal winter night here. Even then, expect to run natural gas costs at least 40% less, so budget for higher electric bills through the cold months.
When a furnace makes sense
A furnace is the right call if gas is already run to your house, which is true for most homes in the county. It keeps its full output no matter how cold the night gets, and with heat needed here nearly 11 months of the year, that steady output matters. It costs less to run on gas at Montana prices, though it will not cool your house in summer.
When a heat pump makes sense
A heat pump makes sense if you want air conditioning as well as heat and you are set on staying electric. Look for a cold-climate model, since standard heat pumps lose heating power at 14°F and that is a normal winter night here. Even then, expect to run natural gas costs at least 40% less, so budget for higher electric bills through the cold months.
When a furnace makes sense
A furnace is the right call if gas is already run to your house, which is true for most homes in the county. It keeps its full output no matter how cold the night gets, and with heat needed here nearly 11 months of the year, that steady output matters. It costs less to run on gas at Montana prices, though it will not cool your house in 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 Silver Bow County.
Winter nights here average 14°F, and gas heat costs at least 40% less than a heat pump at Montana prices, so the furnace wins.
If your home has no gas line to it, a cold-climate heat pump will still heat it through a Silver Bow County winter and cool it come summer.
Find a contractor| Compared on | Heat pump | Furnace |
|---|---|---|
| Cost to run here | Costs more to run | At least 40% less to run |
| What it does | Heats and cools | Heats only |
| Homes in the Mountain West that heat with one | 9.1% | 69.6% |
| Handles a 14°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 air conditioning as well as heat and you are set on staying electric. Look for a cold-climate model, since standard heat pumps lose heating power at 14°F and that is a normal winter night here. Even then, expect to run natural gas costs at least 40% less, so budget for higher electric bills through the cold months.
When a furnace makes sense
A furnace is the right call if gas is already run to your house, which is true for most homes in the county. It keeps its full output no matter how cold the night gets, and with heat needed here nearly 11 months of the year, that steady output matters. It costs less to run on gas at Montana prices, though it will not cool your house in summer.
A Silver Bow County contractor will price both against your own house, your ductwork and your panel.
Tell us about the job
It takes about a minute.