Furnace vs Boiler in Pima County, Arizona
When a furnace makes sense
If your house already has ductwork, a furnace is the straightforward choice. It uses the same ducts you already have for cooling, and with only about five months of heating a year, winter nights averaging 38°F are well within what a furnace handles without trouble.
When a boiler makes sense
A boiler makes sense if your home heats through radiators or in-floor pipes rather than ducts, or if you want that kind of heat and are willing to add the piping for it. It runs about 5% cheaper to operate here than a furnace, but that gap is small once you factor in the ductwork a furnace can already use for cooling.
When a furnace makes sense
If your house already has ductwork, a furnace is the straightforward choice. It uses the same ducts you already have for cooling, and with only about five months of heating a year, winter nights averaging 38°F are well within what a furnace handles without trouble.
When a boiler makes sense
A boiler makes sense if your home heats through radiators or in-floor pipes rather than ducts, or if you want that kind of heat and are willing to add the piping for it. It runs about 5% cheaper to operate here than a furnace, but that gap is small once you factor in the ductwork a furnace can already use 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 Pima 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 38°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 uses the same ducts you already have for cooling, and with only about five months of heating a year, winter nights averaging 38°F are well within what a furnace handles without trouble.
When a boiler makes sense
A boiler makes sense if your home heats through radiators or in-floor pipes rather than ducts, or if you want that kind of heat and are willing to add the piping for it. It runs about 5% cheaper to operate here than a furnace, but that gap is small once you factor in the ductwork a furnace can already use for cooling.
A Pima County contractor will price both against your own house, your ductwork and your panel.
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