Compare Your Options
Furnace or heat pump — which should I choose?
How gas heat and heat pumps really compare on a cold Des Moines night — and why so many Iowa homes end up running both.
A gas furnace makes strong, fast heat that doesn’t fade on the coldest sub-zero Iowa nights. A heat pump moves heat very efficiently in mild-to-moderate cold and cools in summer too, but it loses capacity as the temperature drops toward zero. That’s why the common Des Moines answer is dual-fuel: the heat pump handles most of the season efficiently, and the furnace takes over for the deep freeze.
Gas furnace vs. heat pump
Gas Furnace
Strong, fast heat on the coldest nights.
- Delivers powerful heat even in deep sub-zero cold
- Rated by AFUE — the share of fuel turned into heat
- Performance does not fade as it gets colder outside
- Needs a separate AC to cool in summer
Heat Pump (heating mode)
Efficient heat for most of the season, plus cooling.
- Moves heat instead of burning fuel, so it can be very efficient
- Rated by HSPF2 for heating and SEER2 for cooling
- Loses some capacity as temperatures fall toward zero
- Also cools in summer, replacing a separate AC
Why dual-fuel is the Iowa sweet spot
A dual-fuel (hybrid) system pairs a heat pump with a gas furnace so each does what it does best:
- The heat pump carries the milder cold efficiently — most of an Iowa season
- The gas furnace takes over automatically on the deepest sub-zero nights
- You get year-round efficiency without losing deep-cold reliability
- One thermostat manages the hand-off between the two
Iowa local truth
“A heat pump can fully replace my furnace in Iowa.” A cold-climate heat pump can carry most of the season, but during sustained sub-zero cold its output drops right when you need it most. Keeping a gas furnace as backup — a dual-fuel setup — means your comfort never hinges on the worst nights of an Iowa winter.
Compare them on your actual home
The right heating choice depends on your home, your fuel and electricity prices, and your current equipment. All Seasons HVAC can lay out furnace, heat pump, and dual-fuel options for your Des Moines home, with financing through Optimus.
Common questions
Furnace or heat pump — which is better for an Iowa home?
Both heat well, but differently. A gas furnace makes strong, fast heat that does not fade in deep cold, while a heat pump heats very efficiently in milder cold and also cools in summer. In Iowa, the common answer is a dual-fuel system that uses the heat pump most of the year and the furnace for the coldest stretches.
Can a heat pump fully replace my furnace?
A cold-climate heat pump can carry most of an Iowa winter, but in sustained sub-zero cold it loses capacity. Many homeowners keep a gas furnace as backup in a dual-fuel setup rather than rely on the heat pump alone, so comfort never depends on the worst nights of the year.
What is the difference between AFUE and HSPF2?
AFUE rates a furnace: 96% AFUE means 96 cents of every fuel dollar becomes heat. HSPF2 rates a heat pump's heating efficiency over a season. They describe two different systems, so you compare a furnace by AFUE and a heat pump by HSPF2 (and SEER2 for its cooling).
Keep exploring
See more in the Learning Center.