Furnace vs Boiler in Lewis and Clark County, Montana
When a furnace makes sense
If your house already has ductwork, a furnace is the simpler path. It runs on the same gas line a boiler would use, and with ten months of heating season and nights averaging 15°F, you want a system that's already matched to your home rather than one that asks you to add radiators or in-floor pipe.
When a boiler makes sense
If your home heats through radiators or in-floor pipes already, a boiler is worth keeping. It costs about 5% less to run than a furnace at Montana prices, and that gap matters over a heating season that runs ten months of the year. It only makes sense to switch to one if your house isn't already ducted for a furnace.
When a furnace makes sense
If your house already has ductwork, a furnace is the simpler path. It runs on the same gas line a boiler would use, and with ten months of heating season and nights averaging 15°F, you want a system that's already matched to your home rather than one that asks you to add radiators or in-floor pipe.
When a boiler makes sense
If your home heats through radiators or in-floor pipes already, a boiler is worth keeping. It costs about 5% less to run than a furnace at Montana prices, and that gap matters over a heating season that runs ten months of the year. It only makes sense to switch to one if your house isn't already ducted for a furnace.
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 Lewis and Clark 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 runs on radiators or in-floor pipes, a boiler still makes more sense than adding ductwork for a furnace.
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 15°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. It runs on the same gas line a boiler would use, and with ten months of heating season and nights averaging 15°F, you want a system that's already matched to your home rather than one that asks you to add radiators or in-floor pipe.
When a boiler makes sense
If your home heats through radiators or in-floor pipes already, a boiler is worth keeping. It costs about 5% less to run than a furnace at Montana prices, and that gap matters over a heating season that runs ten months of the year. It only makes sense to switch to one if your house isn't already ducted for a furnace.
A Lewis and Clark County contractor will price both against your own house, your ductwork and your panel.
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