Furnace vs Boiler in Montgomery County, Alabama
When a furnace makes sense
A furnace is the right call if your home already has ductwork in place, since it needs a duct system to move heat through the house. Winter here only runs about five months, and nights average 38°F, nothing extreme, so a furnace sized for this climate will not be working hard most of the year. It heats the air quickly, which matters most on the colder nights.
When a boiler makes sense
A boiler suits a home with radiators or in-floor piping already installed, since that is how it delivers heat, through hot water rather than air. It runs about 5% cheaper to operate than a furnace here, which adds up over a five-month heating season. If your house already has a hot water heating system in place, keeping a boiler often makes more sense than switching to ducts.
When a furnace makes sense
A furnace is the right call if your home already has ductwork in place, since it needs a duct system to move heat through the house. Winter here only runs about five months, and nights average 38°F, nothing extreme, so a furnace sized for this climate will not be working hard most of the year. It heats the air quickly, which matters most on the colder nights.
When a boiler makes sense
A boiler suits a home with radiators or in-floor piping already installed, since that is how it delivers heat, through hot water rather than air. It runs about 5% cheaper to operate than a furnace here, which adds up over a five-month heating season. If your house already has a hot water heating system in place, keeping a boiler often makes more sense than switching to ducts.
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 Montgomery County.
Most homes here already have the ductwork from 1979, and a furnace uses it instead of asking for new pipes and radiators.
If your home already has radiators or in-floor heating instead of ducts, a boiler still makes more sense than adding ductwork 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 38°F night | Yes | Yes |
Sources: U.S. Energy Information Administration, U.S. Department of Energy, NOAA
When a furnace makes sense
A furnace is the right call if your home already has ductwork in place, since it needs a duct system to move heat through the house. Winter here only runs about five months, and nights average 38°F, nothing extreme, so a furnace sized for this climate will not be working hard most of the year. It heats the air quickly, which matters most on the colder nights.
When a boiler makes sense
A boiler suits a home with radiators or in-floor piping already installed, since that is how it delivers heat, through hot water rather than air. It runs about 5% cheaper to operate than a furnace here, which adds up over a five-month heating season. If your house already has a hot water heating system in place, keeping a boiler often makes more sense than switching to ducts.
A Montgomery County contractor will price both against your own house, your ductwork and your panel.
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