Heat pump vs Furnace in Davison County, South Dakota
When a heat pump makes sense
A heat pump makes sense if you want air conditioning and heat from one system and you're set on staying electric. Look for a cold-climate model, since standard heat pumps lose heating power once temperatures drop toward 11°F, and that's a normal winter night here from December through February. Plan on a backup heat source for those cold stretches, and expect to pay more to run it than a furnace at South Dakota gas prices.
When a furnace makes sense
A furnace fits a home here where winter nights average 11°F and the heat has to run about eight months of the year. It holds its heat output no matter how cold it gets outside, with no drop in performance like a standard heat pump sees in the cold. Natural gas also costs at least 35% less to heat with than a heat pump here, which matters over eight months of heating a year.
When a heat pump makes sense
A heat pump makes sense if you want air conditioning and heat from one system and you're set on staying electric. Look for a cold-climate model, since standard heat pumps lose heating power once temperatures drop toward 11°F, and that's a normal winter night here from December through February. Plan on a backup heat source for those cold stretches, and expect to pay more to run it than a furnace at South Dakota gas prices.
When a furnace makes sense
A furnace fits a home here where winter nights average 11°F and the heat has to run about eight months of the year. It holds its heat output no matter how cold it gets outside, with no drop in performance like a standard heat pump sees in the cold. Natural gas also costs at least 35% less to heat with than a heat pump here, which matters over eight months of heating a year.
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 Davison County.
Nights average 11°F here from December through February, and gas heat runs at least 35% cheaper than a heat pump at South Dakota prices.
If your home has no gas line to it, a cold-climate heat pump will still heat it through those 11°F nights and cool it in summer without needing one installed.
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 Plains states that heat with one | 5.4% | 77.6% |
| Handles a 11°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 and heat from one system and you're set on staying electric. Look for a cold-climate model, since standard heat pumps lose heating power once temperatures drop toward 11°F, and that's a normal winter night here from December through February. Plan on a backup heat source for those cold stretches, and expect to pay more to run it than a furnace at South Dakota gas prices.
When a furnace makes sense
A furnace fits a home here where winter nights average 11°F and the heat has to run about eight months of the year. It holds its heat output no matter how cold it gets outside, with no drop in performance like a standard heat pump sees in the cold. Natural gas also costs at least 35% less to heat with than a heat pump here, which matters over eight months of heating a year.
A Davison County contractor will price both against your own house, your ductwork and your panel.
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