Did you know that the ancient Romans had a system of heating the floors and walls of a home called the hypocaust?
We are lucky to live in an age where homeowners can easily enjoy the benefits of a central heating system without breaking the bank.
But what exactly is the average furnace replacement cost? With such long lifespans, you may have never had to consider the price of a new furnace and its installation before.
We’re here to help you out. Keep reading below to learn about the cost to replace a furnace in your home.
An Average Furnace Replacement Cost
When determining the average cost of a furnace replacement, you’ll have to consider your specific situation.
In a typical scenario, the furnace unit itself will cost somewhere between $700 and $3,000, depending on the quality and size of the unit. Between electric, gas, and oil furnaces, electric units tend to be the cheapest. Gas and oil units are similarly priced, but homeowners with gas furnaces usually see more savings on their energy bills than those with oil furnaces.
Installation costs typically run at about $50 or $75 an hour per crew member, leading to a cost between $1,400 and $3,500. Prices can vary between contractors, and you’ll probably pay more for a more well-regarded team.
With all home installations, it’s better to invest the first time around than see a cheap installation cause trouble in the future. It’s important to find a reliable company to work with, such as this HVAC contractor, to ensure you won’t be spending even more on furnace repairs down the line.
This leaves you with a cost of anywhere between $3,000 and $7,000. Of course, your price can vary, as you’ll see below, depending on a variety of factors.
Additional Costs to Consider
One of the main things you’ll need to consider when replacing your furnace is the desired location. If you are installing the furnace in an unusual or awkward spot, the installation process will likely take longer, thus leading to an increase in price.
Building codes can vary locally, so it’s best to find out the requirements before you finalize your furnace replacement plans. While you might have one idea in mind, the building codes could alter your design and result in a change in price.
Some who live in areas that experience harsher winters opt to add other features onto their furnace, which will increase the initial furnace replacement cost.
Cost also differs between basic, mid-grade, and premium furnaces. A basic unit, with essentially only “on” and “off” settings, remains the cheapest.
A mid-grade unit has a standard-setting and an additional higher-capacity setting for when more heat is required, and it falls in the middle for costs. Premium units have all of the above along with additional features, such as noise control. They are the most expensive varieties.
Finding the Best Fit
A furnace is an investment that you will have to be satisfied with for the next ten to twenty years. As explored above, the average furnace replacement cost can fluctuate depending on your choices and situation, so you must weigh your options before finalizing your installation plans.
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