Furnace vs Boiler in Northwest Hills Planning Region, Connecticut
When a furnace makes sense
If your house already has ductwork, a furnace is the simpler path since that ductwork is the main thing a furnace needs. It also lets you run central air through the same ducts later, which a boiler can't offer. With winter nights averaging 17°F here, you want a furnace sized to keep up on the coldest nights, not just the mild ones.
When a boiler makes sense
If your home is heated by radiators or in-floor pipes rather than ducts, a boiler is the natural fit, since that's what it's built to run. It also costs about 5% less to run than a furnace at Connecticut prices, which adds up over the 8 months a year homes here need heat. It won't deliver air conditioning through the same system, so cooling would need its own setup.
When a furnace makes sense
If your house already has ductwork, a furnace is the simpler path since that ductwork is the main thing a furnace needs. It also lets you run central air through the same ducts later, which a boiler can't offer. With winter nights averaging 17°F here, you want a furnace sized to keep up on the coldest nights, not just the mild ones.
When a boiler makes sense
If your home is heated by radiators or in-floor pipes rather than ducts, a boiler is the natural fit, since that's what it's built to run. It also costs about 5% less to run than a furnace at Connecticut prices, which adds up over the 8 months a year homes here need heat. It won't deliver air conditioning through the same system, so cooling would need its own setup.
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 Northwest Hills 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 instead of ductwork, a boiler still makes more sense than adding ducts for a furnace.
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 17°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 simpler path since that ductwork is the main thing a furnace needs. It also lets you run central air through the same ducts later, which a boiler can't offer. With winter nights averaging 17°F here, you want a furnace sized to keep up on the coldest nights, not just the mild ones.
When a boiler makes sense
If your home is heated by radiators or in-floor pipes rather than ducts, a boiler is the natural fit, since that's what it's built to run. It also costs about 5% less to run than a furnace at Connecticut prices, which adds up over the 8 months a year homes here need heat. It won't deliver air conditioning through the same system, so cooling would need its own setup.
A Northwest Hills Planning Region contractor will price both against your own house, your ductwork and your panel.
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