Furnace vs Boiler in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania
When a furnace makes sense
If your house already has ductwork, a furnace is the simpler path, since that ductwork is doing nothing for you otherwise. It also gives you the option to add central air later on the same ducts. With eight months of heating ahead of you and nights averaging 23°F, you want a system that's already set up to work with your house, not against it.
When a boiler makes sense
If your home heats through radiators or in-floor pipes rather than vents, a boiler is the natural fit, since that's the setup it's built to run on. It also costs about 5% less to run here than a furnace, which adds up over eight months of heating a year. At 23°F on a winter night, that steady, lower-cost heat is worth having.
When a furnace makes sense
If your house already has ductwork, a furnace is the simpler path, since that ductwork is doing nothing for you otherwise. It also gives you the option to add central air later on the same ducts. With eight months of heating ahead of you and nights averaging 23°F, you want a system that's already set up to work with your house, not against it.
When a boiler makes sense
If your home heats through radiators or in-floor pipes rather than vents, a boiler is the natural fit, since that's the setup it's built to run on. It also costs about 5% less to run here than a furnace, which adds up over eight months of heating a year. At 23°F on a winter night, that steady, lower-cost heat is worth having.
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 Westmoreland County.
In the Mid-Atlantic, 51.4% of homes heat with a furnace, so just over half 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 Mid-Atlantic that heat with one | 51.4% | 27.9% |
| Handles a 23°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 simpler path, since that ductwork is doing nothing for you otherwise. It also gives you the option to add central air later on the same ducts. With eight months of heating ahead of you and nights averaging 23°F, you want a system that's already set up to work with your house, not against it.
When a boiler makes sense
If your home heats through radiators or in-floor pipes rather than vents, a boiler is the natural fit, since that's the setup it's built to run on. It also costs about 5% less to run here than a furnace, which adds up over eight months of heating a year. At 23°F on a winter night, that steady, lower-cost heat is worth having.
A Westmoreland County contractor will price both against your own house, your ductwork and your panel.
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