Heat pump vs Furnace in Horry County, South Carolina
When a heat pump makes sense
If your home already heats with electricity, a heat pump is the natural fit. Winters here are mild, nights averaging 37°F, and heating is only a five-month job, so the cold-weather limits of a standard heat pump rarely come into play. It costs about 5% less to run than gas at South Carolina prices, and it cools your home in summer too, so you are running one machine instead of two.
When a furnace makes sense
A furnace makes sense if gas is already piped to your home and you would rather keep a separate system for cooling. It runs on natural gas alone, so it heats only, and you would still need an air conditioner alongside it. With only 11% of homes here heating with gas, this is the choice for the household that already has the gas line and a reason to stick with it.
When a heat pump makes sense
If your home already heats with electricity, a heat pump is the natural fit. Winters here are mild, nights averaging 37°F, and heating is only a five-month job, so the cold-weather limits of a standard heat pump rarely come into play. It costs about 5% less to run than gas at South Carolina prices, and it cools your home in summer too, so you are running one machine instead of two.
When a furnace makes sense
A furnace makes sense if gas is already piped to your home and you would rather keep a separate system for cooling. It runs on natural gas alone, so it heats only, and you would still need an air conditioner alongside it. With only 11% of homes here heating with gas, this is the choice for the household that already has the gas line and a reason to stick with it.
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 Horry County.
Winter nights only average 37°F here, and most homes already heat with electricity, so a heat pump is the easier, cheaper fit.
If your home already has a gas line and you would rather keep cooling on a separate system, a furnace paired with central air is still worth asking about.
Find a contractor| Compared on | Heat pump | Furnace |
|---|---|---|
| Cost to run here | About 5% less to run | Costs more to run |
| What it does | Heats and cools | Heats only |
| Homes in the South Atlantic states that heat with one | 30.1% | 48% |
| 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 your home already heats with electricity, a heat pump is the natural fit. Winters here are mild, nights averaging 37°F, and heating is only a five-month job, so the cold-weather limits of a standard heat pump rarely come into play. It costs about 5% less to run than gas at South Carolina prices, and it cools your home in summer too, so you are running one machine instead of two.
When a furnace makes sense
A furnace makes sense if gas is already piped to your home and you would rather keep a separate system for cooling. It runs on natural gas alone, so it heats only, and you would still need an air conditioner alongside it. With only 11% of homes here heating with gas, this is the choice for the household that already has the gas line and a reason to stick with it.
A Horry County contractor will price both against your own house, your ductwork and your panel.
Tell us about the job
It takes about a minute.