Furnace vs Boiler in San Juan County, New Mexico
When a furnace makes sense
If your house already has ductwork, a furnace is the straightforward choice. It uses that ductwork to heat the whole house and can also carry central air conditioning through the same ducts, which matters once summer hits. With eight months of heating a year and nights averaging 20°F, you want equipment that most homes here are already set up for.
When a boiler makes sense
A boiler makes sense if your home heats through radiators or in-floor pipes rather than ducts. It runs about 5% cheaper than a furnace here, which adds up over eight months of heating season and nights near 20°F. The tradeoff is that a boiler only heats. If you want central air conditioning too, you will need a separate system for that.
When a furnace makes sense
If your house already has ductwork, a furnace is the straightforward choice. It uses that ductwork to heat the whole house and can also carry central air conditioning through the same ducts, which matters once summer hits. With eight months of heating a year and nights averaging 20°F, you want equipment that most homes here are already set up for.
When a boiler makes sense
A boiler makes sense if your home heats through radiators or in-floor pipes rather than ducts. It runs about 5% cheaper than a furnace here, which adds up over eight months of heating season and nights near 20°F. The tradeoff is that a boiler only heats. If you want central air conditioning too, you will need a separate system for that.
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 San Juan 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 20°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 that ductwork to heat the whole house and can also carry central air conditioning through the same ducts, which matters once summer hits. With eight months of heating a year and nights averaging 20°F, you want equipment that most homes here are already set up for.
When a boiler makes sense
A boiler makes sense if your home heats through radiators or in-floor pipes rather than ducts. It runs about 5% cheaper than a furnace here, which adds up over eight months of heating season and nights near 20°F. The tradeoff is that a boiler only heats. If you want central air conditioning too, you will need a separate system for that.
A San Juan County contractor will price both against your own house, your ductwork and your panel.
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