Furnace vs Boiler in Kootenai County, Idaho
When a furnace makes sense
If your house already has ductwork, a furnace is the straightforward choice. Ten months of heating a year is a long stretch, and nights averaging 25°F through the winter mean it will run hard through most of that. Ducts already in place mean the furnace can use what your house has, rather than needing radiators or in-floor pipes added.
When a boiler makes sense
A boiler makes sense if your home heats through radiators or in-floor pipes rather than ducts, since that is how it delivers heat. It runs about 5% cheaper than a furnace here, which adds up over a 10 month heating season. Like a furnace, it only heats, so it will do nothing for you once summer comes.
When a furnace makes sense
If your house already has ductwork, a furnace is the straightforward choice. Ten months of heating a year is a long stretch, and nights averaging 25°F through the winter mean it will run hard through most of that. Ducts already in place mean the furnace can use what your house has, rather than needing radiators or in-floor pipes added.
When a boiler makes sense
A boiler makes sense if your home heats through radiators or in-floor pipes rather than ducts, since that is how it delivers heat. It runs about 5% cheaper than a furnace here, which adds up over a 10 month heating season. Like a furnace, it only heats, so it will do nothing for you once summer comes.
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 Kootenai 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 heats through radiators or in-floor pipes instead of ducts, 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 25°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. Ten months of heating a year is a long stretch, and nights averaging 25°F through the winter mean it will run hard through most of that. Ducts already in place mean the furnace can use what your house has, rather than needing radiators or in-floor pipes added.
When a boiler makes sense
A boiler makes sense if your home heats through radiators or in-floor pipes rather than ducts, since that is how it delivers heat. It runs about 5% cheaper than a furnace here, which adds up over a 10 month heating season. Like a furnace, it only heats, so it will do nothing for you once summer comes.
A Kootenai County contractor will price both against your own house, your ductwork and your panel.
Tell us about the job
It takes about a minute.