New Hampshire still relies heavily on heating oil. Rising delivery costs and cold winters make the switch to a high-COP heat pump one of the highest-ROI upgrades available.
🔥 Size Your Heat Pump & See Your Annual Fuel Savings
Find the heat pump tonnage your home needs (heating + cooling load from area, climate, and insulation) and estimate annual fuel savings compared to your current Natural Gas, Propane, Heating Oil, or Electric Resistance system. Built on ACCA Manual J residential heating-load figures and real-world COP (Coefficient of Performance) values.
1. Home & climate parameters
These determine your home's heating load and the recommended heat pump tonnage. Sized using ACCA Manual J factors for an 8-ft ceiling home.
2. Your current heating fuel
Pick your current fuel and the rate your utility charges. The annual bill is optional: leave it blank to use the modeled estimate from your home size and climate above, or enter your real 12-month total to calibrate the estimate to your actual home. Defaults are US national averages.
3. Heat pump efficiency & electricity rate
Cold-climate heat pumps maintain high COP down to -15°C / 5°F and qualify for higher rebates (IRA 25C, Canada GREA). Standard inverter heat pumps are cheaper upfront but lose efficiency below 0°C / 32°F.
✓Recommended system & savings
📊Compare every fuel (with your settings)
Same home, same climate, same heating load — but using the default rate for each fuel. Best row = lowest annual heat-pump bill after switching from that fuel.
| Current fuel | Default rate | Annual HP bill | Net savings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natural Gas Furnace | $1.20 / therm | — | — |
| Propane (LPG) | $3.50 / gallon | — | — |
| Heating Oil | $4.50 / gallon | — | — |
| Electric Resistance | $0.15 / kWh | — | — |
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Heat Pump vs Heating Oil in New Hampshire: What You Could Save
At New Hampshire’s typical heating oil price of about $4.50/gallon and an electricity rate near 27¢/kWh, here’s how the annual heating cost compares for a representative New Hampshire home (~65 MMBTU/yr heating load, cold-climate heat pump at COP 3.8). Use the calculator above with your home size and real bill for an exact figure.
| Heating system | Estimated annual cost |
|---|---|
| Heating Oil furnace (~587 gallons/yr @ $4.50) | ~$2,640/yr |
| Cold-climate heat pump (~5,013 kWh/yr @ 27¢) | ~$1,369/yr |
| Estimated annual saving | ~$1,271/yr |
Figures are illustrative and depend on your home’s insulation, size, and actual usage — the interactive calculator personalizes all of this.
Cold-Climate Heat Pump Performance in New Hampshire
The old myth that “heat pumps don’t work in the cold” no longer holds. Modern cold-climate air-source heat pumps (ccASHPs) are rated to deliver their full heating output down to -13°F / -25°C and keep producing usable heat below that, thanks to variable-speed inverter compressors and enhanced-vapor-injection technology. In New Hampshire’s climate (Manchester and colder inland areas), the standard approach is to size the heat pump to carry 80–90% of the heating season and keep your existing heating oil system as automatic backup for the few deepest-cold nights — capturing nearly all the savings while keeping a safety margin.
Rebates & Incentives for New Hampshire Homeowners
NHSaves (the utility-run efficiency program from Eversource, Liberty, and Unitil) provides heat pump rebates, and the federal 25C credit adds 30% (up to $2,000).
Because heat pumps also provide efficient air conditioning in summer, many New Hampshire homeowners effectively get whole-home cooling as a free bonus when they switch for heating savings.
Frequently Asked Questions — New Hampshire
Is a heat pump cheaper than oil heat in New Hampshire? New Hampshire households heating with oil typically save $850–$1,500 a year with a cold-climate heat pump, depending on oil price and home size. Enter your own annual oil bill above to see your figure.
What size heat pump do I need for a typical NH home? Cold-climate heat pumps sized for New Hampshire winters (rated to -13°F) handle the vast majority of the heating season; many homeowners keep oil or a wood stove as deep-cold backup.
Are there state incentives or utility rebates for heat pumps in NH? NHSaves rebates through Eversource/Liberty/Unitil plus the 30% federal tax credit are the main incentives — amounts vary by utility, so confirm your current NHSaves offer.
For the mechanism behind it, read the refrigeration cycle explained.
Estimates vary by contractor. Compare free quotes from licensed local pros before you commit. Request a quote →
High-efficiency systems may qualify for utility rebates and federal or state incentives. Find current programs at ENERGY STAR & DSIRE.
Figures are reviewed by the Refcon HVAC engineering team using U.S. DOE, ENERGY STAR & ACCA Manual J data. Estimates only — confirm with a licensed pro.