Heat pump vs Furnace in Pennington County, South Dakota
When a heat pump makes sense
A heat pump makes sense if you want air conditioning as part of the same system and you are set on staying electric. Get a cold-climate model. Standard heat pumps lose heating power once temperatures drop toward what Pennington County sees on a typical winter night, and at 13°F you need a machine built to work at that temperature. Even then, expect to pay more to heat your home than a gas furnace would cost you here.
When a furnace makes sense
A furnace fits most homes in Pennington County, and the numbers explain why. Winter nights average 13°F here, cold enough to challenge a standard heat pump, and heating runs about nine months of the year. Natural gas costs at least 35% less than a heat pump at South Dakota prices, which is likely why 59% of homes here already heat with gas. If your home has a gas line, a furnace is the straightforward choice.
When a heat pump makes sense
A heat pump makes sense if you want air conditioning as part of the same system and you are set on staying electric. Get a cold-climate model. Standard heat pumps lose heating power once temperatures drop toward what Pennington County sees on a typical winter night, and at 13°F you need a machine built to work at that temperature. Even then, expect to pay more to heat your home than a gas furnace would cost you here.
When a furnace makes sense
A furnace fits most homes in Pennington County, and the numbers explain why. Winter nights average 13°F here, cold enough to challenge a standard heat pump, and heating runs about nine months of the year. Natural gas costs at least 35% less than a heat pump at South Dakota prices, which is likely why 59% of homes here already heat with gas. If your home has a gas line, a furnace is the straightforward choice.
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 Pennington County.
Winter nights here average 13°F, and gas heat costs at least 35% less than a heat pump, which is why most homes here heat with gas.
If your home has no gas line and you would otherwise heat with electricity or propane, a cold-climate heat pump is worth a look.
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 13°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 part of the same system and you are set on staying electric. Get a cold-climate model. Standard heat pumps lose heating power once temperatures drop toward what Pennington County sees on a typical winter night, and at 13°F you need a machine built to work at that temperature. Even then, expect to pay more to heat your home than a gas furnace would cost you here.
When a furnace makes sense
A furnace fits most homes in Pennington County, and the numbers explain why. Winter nights average 13°F here, cold enough to challenge a standard heat pump, and heating runs about nine months of the year. Natural gas costs at least 35% less than a heat pump at South Dakota prices, which is likely why 59% of homes here already heat with gas. If your home has a gas line, a furnace is the straightforward choice.
A Pennington County contractor will price both against your own house, your ductwork and your panel.
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