Should I replace my gas furnace with a heat pump to lower emissions?

[Logan91]

I often get questions from students about the difference between applied physics research and more fundamental work. While both are important, they have different goals and approaches. How do you explain the distinction? I'm particularly interested in examples where applied physics research has led to practical technologies while still advancing our basic understanding of physics concepts.

[GeorgeS]

I’m trying to figure out if my family’s plan to replace our old gas furnace with a new high-efficiency one is actually a good move for reducing our home's carbon footprint. I keep reading that any new fossil fuel appliance locks in emissions for its lifespan, but the immediate reduction in gas use and cost is really tempting compared to the huge upfront price of a heat pump.

[Brian77]

We swapped our gas furnace for a heat pump two winters ago. The upfront cost hurt, and the cold snaps still feel chilly sometimes, but gas use dropped pretty quickly and our bills did go down overall. I’m not sure the carbon math lines up perfectly with the grid, but it felt cleaner to run on electricity on most days.

[Scarlett71]

I keep hearing that a new fossil fuel appliance locks in emissions, and that worries me. We don’t own a car, so I figured any gas savings would help, but I also wonder if we’ll be stuck with fossil fuel emissions even if the grid cleans up later?

[GraceAT]

We did an energy audit and found replacing the furnace would save a chunk of gas, but the math never looked good after the loan interest and the electrician bill. We chose to seal ducts and improve insulation first; the house started staying warmer and the gas usage dropped more than I expected after those improvements.

[EmmaS]

From a practical side, heat pumps are tempting because of the low gas use, but the price tag made me pause. We ended up adding zoning and a smart thermostat to the existing system and saw some efficiency wins while we saved up.

[Emily.B]

Maybe the real problem isn’t the furnace at all but how leaky the home is. A few quick air sealing fixes made a bigger difference than I expected, and the furnace decision felt less urgent.

[Ronald.R]

I went for the high efficiency gas option and kept a small electric heater as backup on the coldest nights. It cut bills a bit, but I’m still unsure if it slashes the carbon footprint as much as a heat pump would, given our grid mix.