Furnace vs Boiler in Larimer County, Colorado
When a furnace makes sense
If your home already has ductwork, a furnace is the straightforward choice. It heats the air and pushes it through the ducts you already have, with nothing extra to add. With ten months of heating a year and nights dropping to 15°F, you want a system that matches what's already in the walls.
When a boiler makes sense
If your home heats through radiators or pipes in the floor instead of ducts, a boiler is the machine built for that setup. It runs about 5% cheaper to operate here than a furnace does, which adds up over ten months of heating a year. It won't help you if you have ductwork and no radiators or in-floor pipes already in place.
When a furnace makes sense
If your home already has ductwork, a furnace is the straightforward choice. It heats the air and pushes it through the ducts you already have, with nothing extra to add. With ten months of heating a year and nights dropping to 15°F, you want a system that matches what's already in the walls.
When a boiler makes sense
If your home heats through radiators or pipes in the floor instead of ducts, a boiler is the machine built for that setup. It runs about 5% cheaper to operate here than a furnace does, which adds up over ten months of heating a year. It won't help you if you have ductwork and no radiators or in-floor pipes already in place.
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 Larimer 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 heats through radiators or in-floor pipes instead of ducts, 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 15°F night | Yes | Yes |
Sources: U.S. Energy Information Administration, U.S. Department of Energy, NOAA
When a furnace makes sense
If your home already has ductwork, a furnace is the straightforward choice. It heats the air and pushes it through the ducts you already have, with nothing extra to add. With ten months of heating a year and nights dropping to 15°F, you want a system that matches what's already in the walls.
When a boiler makes sense
If your home heats through radiators or pipes in the floor instead of ducts, a boiler is the machine built for that setup. It runs about 5% cheaper to operate here than a furnace does, which adds up over ten months of heating a year. It won't help you if you have ductwork and no radiators or in-floor pipes already in place.
A Larimer County contractor will price both against your own house, your ductwork and your panel.
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