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I think that the issue with heat pumps is that they don't really work well in sub-freezing temperatures, making them mostly useless in colder climates. There a

I think that the issue with heat pumps is that they don't really work well in sub-freezing temperatures, making them mostly useless in colder climates. There are dual fuel systems that use heat pumps until they stop working and switch to heating using a regular furnace. They cost a little more but they provide some marginal savings (even if those depend on the cost of both electricity and whatever fuel the furnace uses).

crazygringo 6y ago
They've made huge improvements. My NYC apartment has a modern heat pump and it certainly works when it's 0°F outside which is well below freezing -- according to its specs, it's still more energy-efficient than electric coil heating as long as the outdoor temperature is above something like -10°F. So it's not for extreme cold (-30°F), but it can absolutely handle a wide range of sub-freezing temperatures.