Heat pump vs Furnace in St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana
When a heat pump makes sense
If you already cool your home with a heat pump or central air, staying with a heat pump for heat makes sense. Winter nights here average 43°F, which is mild enough that a heat pump keeps up without much strain, and you get one system for both jobs instead of two. At Louisiana's electricity and gas prices, heating with a heat pump runs about 20% cheaper than gas here.
When a furnace makes sense
If your home already has gas line and ductwork in place, a furnace is worth keeping. Some homeowners also prefer a furnace because it isn't drawing heat from outside air, so there's no drop in output on the coldest nights. It only heats, so you would still need separate air conditioning for summer.
When a heat pump makes sense
If you already cool your home with a heat pump or central air, staying with a heat pump for heat makes sense. Winter nights here average 43°F, which is mild enough that a heat pump keeps up without much strain, and you get one system for both jobs instead of two. At Louisiana's electricity and gas prices, heating with a heat pump runs about 20% cheaper than gas here.
When a furnace makes sense
If your home already has gas line and ductwork in place, a furnace is worth keeping. Some homeowners also prefer a furnace because it isn't drawing heat from outside air, so there's no drop in output on the coldest nights. It only heats, so you would still need separate air conditioning for 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
Heat pump wins in St. Tammany Parish.
Winter nights here average 43°F, mild enough for a heat pump to keep up, and it costs about 20% less to run than gas.
If your home already has a gas line and you want to keep it as your only heat source, a furnace still makes sense.
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 43°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 cool your home with a heat pump or central air, staying with a heat pump for heat makes sense. Winter nights here average 43°F, which is mild enough that a heat pump keeps up without much strain, and you get one system for both jobs instead of two. At Louisiana's electricity and gas prices, heating with a heat pump runs about 20% cheaper than gas here.
When a furnace makes sense
If your home already has gas line and ductwork in place, a furnace is worth keeping. Some homeowners also prefer a furnace because it isn't drawing heat from outside air, so there's no drop in output on the coldest nights. It only heats, so you would still need separate air conditioning for summer.
A St. Tammany Parish contractor will price both against your own house, your ductwork and your panel.
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