Furnace vs Boiler in Denver County, Colorado
When a furnace makes sense
If your house already has ductwork, a furnace is the straightforward choice. It can also handle central air off the same ducts, which matters once summer comes around. With eight months of heating and nights dropping to 19°F, you want a system that already fits the house it's going into.
When a boiler makes sense
If your home heats through radiators or in-floor pipes rather than ducts, a boiler is the one built for that. It runs about 5% cheaper than a furnace here, and boiler heat tends to feel steadier through the kind of cold Denver sees on winter nights. It won't move air for cooling, so you would still need a separate way to handle summer.
When a furnace makes sense
If your house already has ductwork, a furnace is the straightforward choice. It can also handle central air off the same ducts, which matters once summer comes around. With eight months of heating and nights dropping to 19°F, you want a system that already fits the house it's going into.
When a boiler makes sense
If your home heats through radiators or in-floor pipes rather than ducts, a boiler is the one built for that. It runs about 5% cheaper than a furnace here, and boiler heat tends to feel steadier through the kind of cold Denver sees on winter nights. It won't move air for cooling, so you would still need a separate way to handle summer.
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 Denver County.
In the Mountain West, 69.6% of homes heat with a furnace, so most already have the ductwork it needs.
If your home already has radiators or in-floor pipes instead of 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 the Mountain West that heat with one | 69.6% | 4.3% |
| Handles a 19°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 can also handle central air off the same ducts, which matters once summer comes around. With eight months of heating and nights dropping to 19°F, you want a system that already fits the house it's going into.
When a boiler makes sense
If your home heats through radiators or in-floor pipes rather than ducts, a boiler is the one built for that. It runs about 5% cheaper than a furnace here, and boiler heat tends to feel steadier through the kind of cold Denver sees on winter nights. It won't move air for cooling, so you would still need a separate way to handle summer.
A Denver County contractor will price both against your own house, your ductwork and your panel.
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