Furnace vs Boiler in Shelby County, Alabama
When a furnace makes sense
A furnace makes sense if your ductwork is already in place or you're building it new alongside central air. Winters here only get down to about 35°F on average, and you're only running heat around five months a year, so a furnace has no trouble keeping up. Since a furnace shares ducts with an AC system, you get both from one setup.
When a boiler makes sense
A boiler is worth a look if your home already has radiators or in-floor piping instead of ducts, since running new ductwork just to switch to a furnace adds work a boiler avoids. Boilers do run about 5% cheaper to heat with here, which adds up a little each of the five months you actually need heat. If you'll want central air down the road, keep in mind a boiler won't provide it, so you'd need a separate system for cooling.
When a furnace makes sense
A furnace makes sense if your ductwork is already in place or you're building it new alongside central air. Winters here only get down to about 35°F on average, and you're only running heat around five months a year, so a furnace has no trouble keeping up. Since a furnace shares ducts with an AC system, you get both from one setup.
When a boiler makes sense
A boiler is worth a look if your home already has radiators or in-floor piping instead of ducts, since running new ductwork just to switch to a furnace adds work a boiler avoids. Boilers do run about 5% cheaper to heat with here, which adds up a little each of the five months you actually need heat. If you'll want central air down the road, keep in mind a boiler won't provide it, so you'd need a separate system for cooling.
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 Shelby County.
Most homes here already have the ductwork a furnace needs, since the typical house was built back in 1997, so that's the simpler install.
If your home already has radiators or in-floor piping 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 |
| Handles a 35°F night | Yes | Yes |
Sources: U.S. Energy Information Administration, U.S. Department of Energy, NOAA
When a furnace makes sense
A furnace makes sense if your ductwork is already in place or you're building it new alongside central air. Winters here only get down to about 35°F on average, and you're only running heat around five months a year, so a furnace has no trouble keeping up. Since a furnace shares ducts with an AC system, you get both from one setup.
When a boiler makes sense
A boiler is worth a look if your home already has radiators or in-floor piping instead of ducts, since running new ductwork just to switch to a furnace adds work a boiler avoids. Boilers do run about 5% cheaper to heat with here, which adds up a little each of the five months you actually need heat. If you'll want central air down the road, keep in mind a boiler won't provide it, so you'd need a separate system for cooling.
A Shelby County contractor will price both against your own house, your ductwork and your panel.
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