Furnace vs Boiler in Addison County, Vermont
When a furnace makes sense
If your house already has ductwork, a furnace is the straightforward choice. It heats the same air your ducts already move, and with nine months of heating ahead of you and nights dropping to 12°F, you want a system that doesn't ask anything extra of your house. No ducts to add, no radiators to work around.
When a boiler makes sense
If your home is heated through radiators or in-floor pipes rather than ducts, a boiler is the natural fit, since it's built to run that kind of heat. It also costs about 5% less to run here than a furnace, which matters over nine months of Vermont winter. That gap is worth weighing against what it takes to switch a system that's already in place.
When a furnace makes sense
If your house already has ductwork, a furnace is the straightforward choice. It heats the same air your ducts already move, and with nine months of heating ahead of you and nights dropping to 12°F, you want a system that doesn't ask anything extra of your house. No ducts to add, no radiators to work around.
When a boiler makes sense
If your home is heated through radiators or in-floor pipes rather than ducts, a boiler is the natural fit, since it's built to run that kind of heat. It also costs about 5% less to run here than a furnace, which matters over nine months of Vermont winter. That gap is worth weighing against what it takes to switch a system that's already in place.
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 Addison County.
In New England, 54.8% 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 and no 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 New England that heat with one | 54.8% | 26.2% |
| Handles a 12°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 heats the same air your ducts already move, and with nine months of heating ahead of you and nights dropping to 12°F, you want a system that doesn't ask anything extra of your house. No ducts to add, no radiators to work around.
When a boiler makes sense
If your home is heated through radiators or in-floor pipes rather than ducts, a boiler is the natural fit, since it's built to run that kind of heat. It also costs about 5% less to run here than a furnace, which matters over nine months of Vermont winter. That gap is worth weighing against what it takes to switch a system that's already in place.
A Addison County contractor will price both against your own house, your ductwork and your panel.
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