Gas Furnace vs Heat Pump Heating Cost in Louisiana (2026)

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For a typical 14 million-BTU heating season in Louisiana (using U.S. average gas price since EIA does not report a price for Louisiana): a 95% AFUE gas furnace costs about $225/year; a modern heat pump (HSPF 9.5) costs about $207/year. Heat pump wins by $18/year.

Heating fuel	Energy used/yr	Cost/yr
Natural gas (95% AFUE furnace) at $16.25/Mcf	144 therms	$225
Heat pump (HSPF 9.5, COP 2.78) at 14.44¢/kWh	1,437 kWh	$207

Louisiana: gas $16.25/Mcf (March 2026), electricity 14.44¢/kWh (April 2026). Climate: warm.

What this means in Louisiana

In Louisiana, switching from a gas furnace to a heat pump saves about $18/year on heating — or roughly $353 over 20 years. Heat pumps also handle cooling (no separate AC needed) and qualify for a 30% federal tax credit (up to $2,000).

The gas vs heat-pump trade-off depends on three local numbers: gas price (16.25 $/Mcf here), electricity rate (14.44¢/kWh), and how cold winters get (climate: warm → effective HSPF 9.5).

How we calculated this

Gas furnace cost = (14 MMBtu) ÷ (95.00% efficient × 100,000 BTU/therm) × $1.567/therm.

Heat pump cost = (14 MMBtu) ÷ (2.78 COP × 3,412 BTU/kWh) × 14.44¢/kWh.

Heat load assumption: 14 MMBtu/year is typical for an 1,800 sqft home in a warm climate. Modify with your actual annual gas usage (from your bill) for a personalized answer.

If you’re heat-pump shopping

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FAQ

Does this account for cold-climate performance?

Yes — we use a state-specific effective HSPF (9.5 for Louisiana) reflecting how heat pumps actually perform across the heating season at typical local outdoor temperatures.

What about my actual gas usage instead of these defaults?

Take your last 12 gas bills, sum the therms, and multiply by $1.567/therm. Compare to (your gas therms × 29.3 kWh) ÷ 2.78 × 0.1444 for what a heat pump would cost.

Are gas prices stable?

Less stable than electricity. Wholesale gas can swing 30%+ in a cold winter. The breakeven above can flip year-to-year depending on weather and pipeline conditions.