Many rural Ohio homes still rely on propane. Switching to a heat pump often reduces annual heating bills significantly while adding cooling capacity.
🔥 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 | — | — |
📤Save & share
Heat Pump vs Propane in Ohio: What You Could Save
At Ohio’s typical propane price of about $2.30/gallon and an electricity rate near 20¢/kWh, here’s how the annual heating cost compares for a representative Ohio 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 |
|---|---|
| Propane furnace (~836 gallons/yr @ $2.30) | ~$1,922/yr |
| Cold-climate heat pump (~5,013 kWh/yr @ 20¢) | ~$978/yr |
| Estimated annual saving | ~$945/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 Ohio
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 Ohio’s climate (Columbus 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 propane system as automatic backup for the few deepest-cold nights — capturing nearly all the savings while keeping a safety margin.
Rebates & Incentives for Ohio Homeowners
Ohio relies mainly on utility programs and the federal 25C tax credit (30%, up to $2,000) — statewide rebates are limited, so check your local utility.
Because heat pumps also provide efficient air conditioning in summer, many Ohio homeowners effectively get whole-home cooling as a free bonus when they switch for heating savings.
Frequently Asked Questions — Ohio
Is a heat pump cheaper than propane in Ohio? Many rural Ohio homes heat with propane at $2.30+/gal. A cold-climate heat pump typically saves $600–$1,200/yr, with the propane furnace retained as backup.
Recommended tonnage for Ohio homes A cold-climate heat pump sized for a typical Ohio home is usually 2–4 tons; enter your home size above and the calculator recommends the tonnage.
Local utility or state incentives Ohio’s incentives are mostly utility-level plus the federal tax credit; check your electric utility (AEP Ohio, Duke, FirstEnergy) for current heat pump rebates.
A heat pump is the refrigeration cycle reversed — see the cycle and its components 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.