Furnace & Boiler Cost: Replacement, Repair, and Pricing by Fuel Type

A furnace replacement averages around $4,800 installed, with most homeowners paying $2,800 to $6,900. Fuel type is the biggest factor, electric, gas, and oil furnaces have very different price points, and repair versus replacement is the other major fork: a repair often costs a few hundred dollars, while a full replacement runs into the thousands. This guide covers both, plus boiler pricing, which follows a similar logic but different numbers.

Furnace Replacement Cost by Fuel Type

Gas furnaces have the widest range of the three, driven mostly by BTU capacity and efficiency rating (AFUE), with ductwork modifications pushing installs toward the high end. Electric furnaces are the cheapest to install but generally cost more to run month to month; oil furnaces sit at the opposite end on both counts.

Furnace Repair Cost

Most furnace repairs run $150 to $800, well below replacement cost. What you're actually paying for depends on the part:

A heat exchanger repair sits close enough to replacement cost on an older unit that it's usually the point where replacing the whole furnace starts to make more financial sense.

Furnace Tune-Up Cost

A seasonal tune-up, inspection, cleaning, filter check, and basic calibration, typically runs $75 to $200. It's the cheapest thing on this list and the one most likely to prevent an expensive breakdown, worth doing annually regardless of the furnace's age.

Boiler Replacement Cost

Boilers heat water instead of air, common in older homes, especially in the Northeast, with radiators or radiant floor heating. A full boiler replacement typically runs $4,000 to $12,000, with most gas boiler installs landing around $4,500 to $7,500. Oil boilers generally cost more than gas, similar to the furnace pattern above.

Boiler repairs are cheaper: mineral deposits, pilot light issues, and radiator problems typically run $200 to $600 to fix.

Repair or Replace?

A rough rule of thumb: multiply the furnace's age in years by the repair estimate. If that number tops $5,000, replacement is usually the better financial move.

What Affects the Cost

Fuel type. The single biggest factor for new installs, as the table above shows.

Size and BTU capacity. A furnace sized for your actual home, not oversized "to be safe", both saves on installation cost and runs more efficiently long-term.

Ductwork condition. Existing ductwork that's in good shape keeps installation straightforward. Damaged or undersized ducts add real cost to a furnace swap.

Efficiency rating (AFUE). Higher-efficiency units cost more upfront and less to run, a real trade-off rather than a straightforward upgrade.

Getting an Accurate Quote

Have ready: your current fuel type, your home's approximate square footage, your furnace or boiler's age, and whether you're seeing any specific symptoms (short cycling, uneven heat, rising bills).

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a new furnace cost?

$4,800 on average, with most homeowners paying $2,800 to $6,900. Gas furnaces run $3,800 to $10,000; electric $2,000 to $7,000; oil $6,750 to $10,000.

How much does it cost to replace a furnace?

Same as above, installation is typically included in "replacement" pricing, since old-unit removal and new-unit setup are done as one job.

How much does furnace repair cost?

$150 to $800 for most repairs, though a heat exchanger replacement can run $500 to $3,500 depending on the unit.

How much does a boiler replacement cost?

$4,000 to $12,000, with most gas boiler installs landing around $4,500 to $7,500.

How much does a furnace tune-up cost?

$75 to $200 for a standard seasonal inspection and cleaning.

Is oil furnace replacement more expensive than gas?

Yes, generally. Oil furnaces run $6,750 to $10,000 installed versus $3,800 to $10,000 for gas, with oil's low end sitting well above gas's low end.

Bottom Line

Furnace replacement averages around $4,800, but fuel type moves that number significantly, gas and oil cost more than electric both to install and, often, to operate. Repair almost always costs less than replacement in the short term; the $5,000 rule (age times repair cost) is a fast way to tell which one actually makes financial sense for your specific unit.

Related reading

National averages are useful for planning. Verify pricing against a quote for your home before treating any range as final.