Heat Pump vs Furnace Cost Calculator

How this calculator works

The calculator prices annual heat pump electricity use and annual furnace fuel use, then compares the two totals with any service-cost difference.

When to round up

Round carefully for climate, backup heat, duct losses, fuel fees, demand charges, and seasonal efficiency differences.

Formula and assumptions

This calculator uses the inputs above to turn a practical planning question into a usable estimate. The result should be treated as a starting point, because product ratings, room conditions, material waste, and real-world use can vary.

Formula: furnaceTherms * gasRate - heatPumpKwh * electricRate - serviceDifference

Example calculation

Example inputs: Heat pump yearly use: 4200 kWh; Electricity rate: $0.16 /kWh; Furnace yearly fuel: 650 therms; Gas/fuel rate: $1.35 /therm; Annual service cost difference: $0. With those values, the calculator returns $205.50 per year. At these inputs, the heat pump changes yearly operating cost by about $205.50 versus the furnace estimate.

Example scenarios

• Simple case: Use the default inputs as a quick baseline. In this sample, the result is $205.50 per year, which gives you a practical number to compare against product labels or project instructions.
• Round-up case: If the room, project, appliance, or aquarium setup has extra uncertainty, use the same result as a minimum and choose the next practical size, package, or capacity.
• Cross-check case: If cost, material quantity, or equipment size affects another decision, open one of the related calculators below and make sure the numbers agree with each other.

Quick reference chart

Common planning mistakes

Avoid using rough guesses for every input, forgetting waste or safety margin, and treating the estimate as a guaranteed final number. Measure the space, round up when buying materials or equipment, and compare the result with product labels or project instructions.