Heat pump vs Furnace in Ouachita Parish, Louisiana
When a heat pump makes sense
If you already heat and cool with electricity, a heat pump fits right into that setup and costs about 20% less to run than natural gas heat at Louisiana prices. Winter nights here average 37°F, which is mild enough that a heat pump keeps up without much strain. If you want one system for both heating and cooling instead of two, this is it.
When a furnace makes sense
If your home already has a gas line and you'd rather not switch to electric heat, a furnace is the straightforward choice. It only heats, so you would still need a separate system for cooling. This suits a household that wants to keep gas heat as is rather than change how the home is set up.
When a heat pump makes sense
If you already heat and cool with electricity, a heat pump fits right into that setup and costs about 20% less to run than natural gas heat at Louisiana prices. Winter nights here average 37°F, which is mild enough that a heat pump keeps up without much strain. If you want one system for both heating and cooling instead of two, this is it.
When a furnace makes sense
If your home already has a gas line and you'd rather not switch to electric heat, a furnace is the straightforward choice. It only heats, so you would still need a separate system for cooling. This suits a household that wants to keep gas heat as is rather than change how the home is set up.
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 Ouachita Parish.
Winters here stay mild, so a heat pump keeps up fine and costs about 20% less to run than gas heat.
If your home already has a gas line and a working furnace, there is no need to switch on heat alone.
Find a contractor| Compared on | Heat pump | Furnace |
|---|---|---|
| Cost to run here | About 20% less to run | Costs more to run |
| What it does | Heats and cools | Heats only |
| Homes in the south-central states that heat with one | 18.5% | 61.1% |
| Handles a 37°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 already heat and cool with electricity, a heat pump fits right into that setup and costs about 20% less to run than natural gas heat at Louisiana prices. Winter nights here average 37°F, which is mild enough that a heat pump keeps up without much strain. If you want one system for both heating and cooling instead of two, this is it.
When a furnace makes sense
If your home already has a gas line and you'd rather not switch to electric heat, a furnace is the straightforward choice. It only heats, so you would still need a separate system for cooling. This suits a household that wants to keep gas heat as is rather than change how the home is set up.
A Ouachita Parish contractor will price both against your own house, your ductwork and your panel.
Tell us about the job
It takes about a minute.