# Heat pump vs. gas furnace and AC on City of Colorado Springs rates (CO)

> **Quick answer** (updated 2026-11-10): As of November 2026, for a typical 1,800 sq ft gas-heated home on City of Colorado Springs electricity rates in Colorado that needs a new furnace and AC: It depends on your quotes. A heat pump saves about $90 a year to run, so it comes out ahead over 15 years if its quote is no more than $1,300 above the quote for a new furnace and AC.

- Verdict: **depends on quotes**
- Heat pump yearly running cost vs. a new gas furnace and AC: $90 less
- Break-even quote gap: the heat pump wins over 15 years if its quote is no more than $1,300 above the like-for-like quote
- Interactive calculator (change size, insulation, fuel, prices, ZIP): https://meterwise.app/co/city-of-colorado-springs/heat-pump-vs-furnace/
- Machine-readable data: https://meterwise.app/data/v1/utilities/co/city-of-colorado-springs.json

## Typical home: costs by option

1,800 sq ft, average insulation, heating with gas, furnace and AC both need replacing.

| Option | Installed (typical) | Installed range | Rebates | Energy per year | 15-year total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New gas furnace + new AC | $11,890 | $9,310–$14,480 | – | $750 | $23,100 |
| Heat pump (replaces both) | $11,890 | $8,270–$15,510 | – | $660 | $21,800 |
| High-efficiency cold-climate heat pump | $15,510 | $11,370–$20,680 | – | $520 | $23,300 |

## Inputs

- Electricity: Energy Wise Standard Time of Day (ETR) tariff for City of Colorado Springs, effective 2025-10-01, from the U.S. Utility Rate Database, applied tier by tier to the extra kWh. Typical-bill price 13.4¢/kWh, -19% vs. the Colorado average of 16.6¢/kWh.
- Weather: Colorado Springs MUNI AP, 5,889 heating and 608 cooling degree days a year (NOAA 1991-2020 normals).
- Gas: $1.05/therm (Colorado winter average, EIA); propane $2.34/gallon; heating oil $6.15/gallon.
- Homes in this utility's Colorado area heat with gas 70%, electricity 25%, propane 3%, other 2% (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2019-2023).
- Installed prices: published study ranges, scaled for home size and Colorado HVAC installer wages (BLS).
- Rebates: not yet checked in Colorado, so not included.

## Common questions

**Is a heat pump worth it for City of Colorado Springs customers?**
As of November 2026, for a typical 1,800 sq ft gas-heated home on City of Colorado Springs electricity rates in Colorado that needs a new furnace and AC: It depends on your quotes. A heat pump saves about $90 a year to run, so it comes out ahead over 15 years if its quote is no more than $1,300 above the quote for a new furnace and AC.

**How much does a heat pump cost to run on City of Colorado Springs's rates?**
About $660 a year for heating and cooling with the Heat pump (replaces both) option, against $750 for New gas furnace + new AC.

**What electricity price does this use?**
Electricity: Energy Wise Standard Time of Day (ETR) tariff for City of Colorado Springs, effective 2025-10-01, from the U.S. Utility Rate Database, applied tier by tier to the extra kWh.

## Method

Heating and cooling need from local weather, floor area and insulation; each option's efficiency (heat pumps lose
efficiency in the cold and use backup heat in cold months) turns that into kWh and fuel; electricity is priced
through the utility's tariff; installed costs come from published ranges. Full method: https://meterwise.app/about/index.md

Estimates for a typical home, not a quote or financial advice.

## Other Colorado utilities

- [Delta Montrose Electric Assn](https://meterwise.app/co/delta-montrose-electric-assn/heat-pump-vs-furnace/index.md)
- [Empire Electric Assn, Inc](https://meterwise.app/co/empire-electric-assn-inc/heat-pump-vs-furnace/index.md)
- [Grand Valley Power](https://meterwise.app/co/grand-valley-power/heat-pump-vs-furnace/index.md)
- [Highline Electric Assn](https://meterwise.app/co/highline-electric-assn/heat-pump-vs-furnace/index.md)
- [Holy Cross Electric Assn, Inc](https://meterwise.app/co/holy-cross-electric-assn-inc/heat-pump-vs-furnace/index.md)
- [CORE Electric Cooperative](https://meterwise.app/co/core-electric-cooperative/heat-pump-vs-furnace/index.md)
- [K C Electric Association](https://meterwise.app/co/k-c-electric-association/heat-pump-vs-furnace/index.md)
- [La Plata Electric Assn, Inc](https://meterwise.app/co/la-plata-electric-assn-inc/heat-pump-vs-furnace/index.md)
- [Morgan County Rural Elec Assn](https://meterwise.app/co/morgan-county-rural-elec-assn/heat-pump-vs-furnace/index.md)
- [Mountain Parks Electric, Inc](https://meterwise.app/co/mountain-parks-electric-inc/heat-pump-vs-furnace/index.md)
- [Mountain View Elec Assn, Inc](https://meterwise.app/co/mountain-view-elec-assn-inc/heat-pump-vs-furnace/index.md)
- [Poudre Valley REA, Inc](https://meterwise.app/co/poudre-valley-rea-inc/heat-pump-vs-furnace/index.md)
- [All Colorado utilities](https://meterwise.app/co/index.md)

## Cite this page

MeterWise, "Heat pump vs. gas furnace and AC on City of Colorado Springs rates (CO)", updated 2026-11-10, https://meterwise.app/co/city-of-colorado-springs/heat-pump-vs-furnace/. Data licensed CC BY 4.0.