Furnace vs Boiler in Northeastern Connecticut Planning Region, Connecticut
When a furnace makes sense
If your house already has ductwork, a furnace is the straightforward choice. It heats the same air that already moves through your home, so there's nothing new to install to get warm air into every room. Eight months of heating a year and nights down near 20°F mean it'll run hard, but ducted homes get the most direct path to that heat.
When a boiler makes sense
If your home is heated by radiators or in-floor pipes rather than vents, a boiler is the machine built for that setup. It runs about 5% cheaper than a furnace here, which adds up over eight months of heating season and nights in the 20s. There's no ductwork to fight with, since the heat moves through water instead of air.
When a furnace makes sense
If your house already has ductwork, a furnace is the straightforward choice. It heats the same air that already moves through your home, so there's nothing new to install to get warm air into every room. Eight months of heating a year and nights down near 20°F mean it'll run hard, but ducted homes get the most direct path to that heat.
When a boiler makes sense
If your home is heated by radiators or in-floor pipes rather than vents, a boiler is the machine built for that setup. It runs about 5% cheaper than a furnace here, which adds up over eight months of heating season and nights in the 20s. There's no ductwork to fight with, since the heat moves through water instead of air.
Furnace
- Runs on
- Natural gas
- What it does
- Heats only
- Tax credit
- No federal tax credit since the end of 2025
Sources: U.S. Department of Energy · Internal Revenue Code
Boiler
- Runs on
- Natural gas
- What it does
- Heats only
- Tax credit
- No federal tax credit since the end of 2025
Sources: U.S. Department of Energy · Internal Revenue Code
Furnace wins in Northeastern Connecticut Planning Region.
In New England, 54.8% of homes heat with a furnace, so just over half already have the ductwork it needs.
If your home already has radiators or in-floor pipes and no ductwork, a boiler is still the better choice.
Find a contractor| Compared on | Furnace | Boiler |
|---|---|---|
| Cost to run here | Costs more to run | About 5% less to run |
| What it does | Heats only | Heats only |
| Homes in New England that heat with one | 54.8% | 26.2% |
| Handles a 20°F night | Yes | Yes |
Sources: U.S. Energy Information Administration, U.S. Department of Energy, NOAA
When a furnace makes sense
If your house already has ductwork, a furnace is the straightforward choice. It heats the same air that already moves through your home, so there's nothing new to install to get warm air into every room. Eight months of heating a year and nights down near 20°F mean it'll run hard, but ducted homes get the most direct path to that heat.
When a boiler makes sense
If your home is heated by radiators or in-floor pipes rather than vents, a boiler is the machine built for that setup. It runs about 5% cheaper than a furnace here, which adds up over eight months of heating season and nights in the 20s. There's no ductwork to fight with, since the heat moves through water instead of air.
A Northeastern Connecticut Planning Region contractor will price both against your own house, your ductwork and your panel.
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