Switching from a gas furnace to a heat pump in New Orleans
When the furnace and the AC are both near the end, a heat pump can replace both with one system. In a mild-winter city, it is the conversion we recommend most often.
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Converting from a gas furnace to a heat pump in New Orleans means replacing the furnace and AC with a heat pump outdoor unit and an electric air handler with backup heat strips. The gas furnace is removed and the gas line capped or kept for other appliances. The main checks are electrical panel capacity and duct condition, and the install usually takes one to two days.
Why convert here
Updated September 2026
A heat pump cools exactly like an air conditioner and heats by moving heat in from outside, which works efficiently in a winter as mild as this one. Replacing a furnace and an AC with one heat pump removes gas combustion from the attic and gives you one system to maintain.
The conversion is straightforward when the house has the electrical capacity for backup heat strips and ductwork that can carry the airflow.
What affects the cost of a conversion
Conversions are priced on equipment, electrical work and ductwork.
Heat pump size and type
Single-stage, two-stage or variable-speed.
Air handler and heat strips
Sized to the house and panel capacity.
Electrical work
Circuit or panel upgrades where needed.
Gas line work
Capping or rerouting the gas supply.
Ductwork
Repairs or changes found during the job.
Permit
Mechanical permit and inspection.
What a conversion includes
- Load and panel capacity calculation
- Mechanical permit and inspection
- Furnace removed, flue sealed, gas capped
- Heat pump and air handler installed
- Heat strips sized to the house
- Charge and airflow set up
- Heating, defrost and cooling tested
Straight conversion or dual fuel
| Heat pump with heat strips | Dual fuel | |
|---|---|---|
| Gas needed for heat | No | Yes |
| Equipment | Heat pump and air handler | Heat pump and gas furnace |
| Panel demand | Higher | Lower |
| Best when | Furnace and AC both old | Furnace fairly new |
Removing the Gas Furnace
The furnace is disconnected from gas and flue, removed, and replaced by an electric air handler with heat strips. The flue opening is sealed and the gas line to the furnace is capped at the appliance, or at the meter if nothing else uses gas. If you have a gas water heater or range, the line stays in service for those. Removing combustion from the attic also removes the need for annual carbon monoxide checks on that equipment. The old furnace is hauled away as part of the job.
Electrical Panel Capacity
Backup heat strips draw significant current, and many older panels were never sized for electric heat. We calculate the load before quoting, and if the panel does not have room we tell you up front what an upgrade involves. In many homes a smaller heat strip, sized for the few hours a year it actually runs, avoids the need for a panel upgrade altogether without leaving the house cold in a freeze. If an upgrade is needed, we coordinate it so the conversion and the electrical work happen in one schedule rather than two.
Dual-Fuel Option
If you would rather keep gas heat for the coldest days, a dual-fuel system pairs a heat pump with a gas furnace. The heat pump handles cooling and most heating, and the furnace takes over below a set outdoor temperature. It makes sense when the furnace is fairly new or the panel cannot support heat strips. It is more complex than a straight conversion, and we quote both so you can compare. The thermostat handles the changeover automatically, so you do not have to think about which system is running.
Permits and incentives in 2026
Most Louisiana cities, New Orleans included, require a mechanical permit for a system replacement, and a conversion that removes a gas furnace is no exception. We pull the permit and schedule the inspection as part of the job. We do not build rebates into conversion quotes this year: the Entergy Louisiana programs are paused and the federal 25C credit ended with 2025.
Brands we service and install
We repair and install Trane, Carrier, Lennox, Goodman, Rheem, Ruud and the other major lines, plus Mitsubishi Electric ductless.
How a conversion runs
- 1
Load and electrical check
House load and panel capacity calculated.
- 2
Options
Straight conversion or dual fuel, in writing.
- 3
Permit
Filed before install day.
- 4
Remove old equipment
Furnace and AC removed, gas capped, flue sealed.
- 5
Install
Heat pump, air handler and heat strips installed.
- 6
Test both modes
Heating, defrost and cooling verified.
Questions about Gas Furnace to Heat Pump Conversion in New Orleans
Yes. Winters here are mild enough that it carries nearly the whole load, with heat strips as backup.
It is capped at the furnace or kept for other gas appliances.
Sometimes. We calculate before quoting and size heat strips to avoid it where possible.
A heat pump with a gas furnace backup for the coldest days.
Usually one to two days.
Entergy Louisiana programs are paused in 2026 and the 25C credit ended in 2025.
Trane, Carrier, Lennox, Goodman, Rheem and Daikin, among others.
Usually. We check airflow and duct condition first.
More heating we handle in New Orleans
Furnace and AC both getting old?
Call and we will quote a heat pump conversion and a dual-fuel option side by side.
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