Furnace vs Boiler in Santa Clara County, California
When a furnace makes sense
If your house already has ducts, a furnace is the straightforward choice. It heats the air and pushes it through the vents you already have, and with winter nights here dropping to 39°F, you want a system that can bring a room up to temperature quickly. Just over half the homes in this region are set up this way, so there is a good chance yours is too.
When a boiler makes sense
A boiler makes sense if your home heats through radiators or pipes in the floor rather than vents. It runs about 5% cheaper than a furnace here, which adds up over the 7 months a year you'll be using it. Since a boiler has no ductwork to tie into, it only fits homes already built to carry heat this way.
When a furnace makes sense
If your house already has ducts, a furnace is the straightforward choice. It heats the air and pushes it through the vents you already have, and with winter nights here dropping to 39°F, you want a system that can bring a room up to temperature quickly. Just over half the homes in this region are set up this way, so there is a good chance yours is too.
When a boiler makes sense
A boiler makes sense if your home heats through radiators or pipes in the floor rather than vents. It runs about 5% cheaper than a furnace here, which adds up over the 7 months a year you'll be using it. Since a boiler has no ductwork to tie into, it only fits homes already built to carry heat this way.
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 Santa Clara County.
In the Pacific states, 56.9% 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 Pacific states that heat with one | 56.9% | 1.6% |
| Handles a 39°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 ducts, a furnace is the straightforward choice. It heats the air and pushes it through the vents you already have, and with winter nights here dropping to 39°F, you want a system that can bring a room up to temperature quickly. Just over half the homes in this region are set up this way, so there is a good chance yours is too.
When a boiler makes sense
A boiler makes sense if your home heats through radiators or pipes in the floor rather than vents. It runs about 5% cheaper than a furnace here, which adds up over the 7 months a year you'll be using it. Since a boiler has no ductwork to tie into, it only fits homes already built to carry heat this way.
A Santa Clara County contractor will price both against your own house, your ductwork and your panel.
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