Heat pump vs Furnace in Brevard County, Florida
When a heat pump makes sense
If you heat and cool the same house, a heat pump does both from one system running on electricity. Winter nights here average 54°F, which is mild enough that a standard heat pump keeps up without trouble, and you're only heating about a month out of the year. At Florida electricity prices, running it costs about 40% less than heating with gas.
When a furnace makes sense
A furnace makes sense if your home already has gas line in and you'd rather keep heating and cooling on separate systems. It only heats, so you'd still need a separate air conditioner for the rest of the year. Only about 10% of homes here heat with gas, and at Florida prices it costs more to run than a heat pump.
When a heat pump makes sense
If you heat and cool the same house, a heat pump does both from one system running on electricity. Winter nights here average 54°F, which is mild enough that a standard heat pump keeps up without trouble, and you're only heating about a month out of the year. At Florida electricity prices, running it costs about 40% less than heating with gas.
When a furnace makes sense
A furnace makes sense if your home already has gas line in and you'd rather keep heating and cooling on separate systems. It only heats, so you'd still need a separate air conditioner for the rest of the year. Only about 10% of homes here heat with gas, and at Florida prices it costs more to run than a heat pump.
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 Brevard County.
Winter nights here only dip to about 54°F, so a heat pump keeps up easily and costs 40% less to run than gas.
If your home already has a gas line and a furnace in place, replacing a working one just to switch fuels may not be worth it.
Find a contractor| Compared on | Heat pump | Furnace |
|---|---|---|
| Cost to run here | About 40% less to run | Costs more 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 54°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 you heat and cool the same house, a heat pump does both from one system running on electricity. Winter nights here average 54°F, which is mild enough that a standard heat pump keeps up without trouble, and you're only heating about a month out of the year. At Florida electricity prices, running it costs about 40% less than heating with gas.
When a furnace makes sense
A furnace makes sense if your home already has gas line in and you'd rather keep heating and cooling on separate systems. It only heats, so you'd still need a separate air conditioner for the rest of the year. Only about 10% of homes here heat with gas, and at Florida prices it costs more to run than a heat pump.
A Brevard County contractor will price both against your own house, your ductwork and your panel.
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