Furnace vs Boiler in Clark County, Washington
When a furnace makes sense
If your home already has ductwork, a furnace is the straightforward choice. It uses those same ducts to move heat through the house, and you get the option of central air conditioning through them later on. Just over half the homes in this region already have the ductwork a furnace needs, and that settles it for a lot of houses even with nine months of heating a year to think about.
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 the system it is built to run. It costs about 5% less to run than a furnace at Washington prices, which matters over nine months of heating a year and nights averaging 35°F. It will not provide central air conditioning, so it suits a home that already has radiant heat in place.
When a furnace makes sense
If your home already has ductwork, a furnace is the straightforward choice. It uses those same ducts to move heat through the house, and you get the option of central air conditioning through them later on. Just over half the homes in this region already have the ductwork a furnace needs, and that settles it for a lot of houses even with nine months of heating a year to think about.
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 the system it is built to run. It costs about 5% less to run than a furnace at Washington prices, which matters over nine months of heating a year and nights averaging 35°F. It will not provide central air conditioning, so it suits a home that already has radiant heat in place.
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 Clark 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 and no 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 35°F night | Yes | Yes |
Sources: U.S. Energy Information Administration, U.S. Department of Energy, NOAA
When a furnace makes sense
If your home already has ductwork, a furnace is the straightforward choice. It uses those same ducts to move heat through the house, and you get the option of central air conditioning through them later on. Just over half the homes in this region already have the ductwork a furnace needs, and that settles it for a lot of houses even with nine months of heating a year to think about.
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 the system it is built to run. It costs about 5% less to run than a furnace at Washington prices, which matters over nine months of heating a year and nights averaging 35°F. It will not provide central air conditioning, so it suits a home that already has radiant heat in place.
A Clark County contractor will price both against your own house, your ductwork and your panel.
Tell us about the job
It takes about a minute.