Published by Comfy Castle Heating and Air
License # AEC01319 / LIC00252624
Last updated 2026-10-02
4 minute read
A heat pump is not automatically cheaper to run than a gas furnace in every Colorado home. A useful comparison combines your electricity and gas rates, the proposed equipment's performance in cold weather, your home's heating needs, and the backup-heat plan.
How do you make sure both systems are being compared fairly?
A heat pump moves heat, while a gas furnace creates heat by burning fuel. That makes their efficiency labels different. A higher equipment rating can be useful within a category, but comparing a furnace's AFUE percentage directly with a heat pump's HSPF2 number does not produce a meaningful utility-cost answer.
First define what each proposal must deliver: the same rooms, indoor temperatures, heating season, and comfort expectations. If one quote covers only an addition and another covers the whole house, their projected bills are not comparable. Include cooling in a separate line so its benefit is visible without obscuring the heating comparison.
Which utility rates and bills should you gather?
Bring a full year of available gas and electricity bills to the estimate. Ask the contractor to identify the actual rate assumptions, including time-of-use periods where applicable. Separate usage charges from fixed account charges. A gas service charge may remain if you keep a gas water heater or other gas appliance.
Bills alone are not a measurement of furnace efficiency: cooking, water heating, weather, occupancy, and thermostat settings also affect them. Note any recent insulation work or changes in how the home is used. If your utility changed rates, keep the current rate sheet with the estimate so the assumptions can be checked later.
What should you ask about cold-weather performance and backup heat?
Heat-pump heating capacity and efficiency vary with outdoor conditions and the selected model. Ask for the proposed system's capacity and power-use data at the temperatures used in your home's design. The coefficient of performance, or COP, compares delivered heat with electrical input at a stated condition; it is not a promise of one constant efficiency all winter.
For a dual-fuel proposal, ask when and why the furnace will take over. For an all-electric proposal, ask whether resistance backup is included and how its operation is estimated. Request that the control settings and backup assumptions appear in the proposal rather than being left as an unspecified factory default.
Why should purchase price and running cost be compared separately?
Use separate lines for installed price, estimated annual energy cost, maintenance, and financing. Include electrical, duct, and control work in the installed scope. An incentive reduces a qualifying purchase cost; it does not change how much electricity the equipment consumes. Verify any available incentive and eligibility before treating it as money received.
Ask for a range or more than one scenario instead of a single confident savings number. What happens if electricity costs more, if a winter is colder, or if backup runs more often? You should be able to see which assumptions change the result before choosing equipment that will serve the home for years.
What should a written operating-cost comparison include?
A useful comparison names the indoor and outdoor models, the load calculation, utility-rate date, expected backup use, and the method behind the energy estimate. Ask whether a repair, a furnace replacement, a heat pump, or a dual-fuel system is being compared. Avoid choosing solely from a national average or a neighbor's bill.
Comfy Castle's heat pump service page is a starting point for evaluating the equipment and installation options for your home. Bring the same questions to each estimate. Clear assumptions will help you distinguish a reasonable projection from a guaranteed-savings claim that your house and utility rates may not support.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Does an efficient heat pump guarantee a smaller bill?
- No. Efficiency, fuel prices, building needs, controls, and backup operation all affect the total. Ask for a comparison using your address and rates, with the assumptions shown.
- Can I keep a furnace with a heat pump?
- A compatible dual-fuel design can combine them. The contractor needs to confirm equipment compatibility and explain the controls and switching strategy in the proposal.
- Is HSPF2 enough to compare two proposals?
- It helps compare rated seasonal heating efficiency. You also need the proposed system's capacity, cold-weather performance, backup design, and installation scope to evaluate how it fits your home.
Sources and further reading
This guide provides general homeowner information. Equipment instructions and an assessment of your home determine the work required. For help in the North and South Denver Metro Area, contact Comfy Castle Heating and Air.