In Philadelphia, the average cost to install a new furnace is around $5,820, but people often spend between $3,609 and $8,041, depending on the type and size of the furnace. For a customized quote, contact an HVAC pro.
The type and size of your furnace are two factors that affect your installation costs.
Electric furnaces are the least expensive, while gas and oil units are pricier.
Your furnace’s energy-efficiency rating will also influence how much it costs.
Reach out to an HVAC installer to estimate your new furnace costs in Philadelphia, PA.
On average, new furnace costs in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, range from $3,609 to $8,041, with most Philadelphians paying around $5,820. Whether you buy a gas, electric, or oil furnace, the type you choose will affect your final costs—and so will its size. Based on these factors, here’s what you can expect to spend on your new furnace.
From the type of furnace to its efficiency rating, there are several things that affect how much you’ll pay to install a furnace. Here are the key factors.
Whether you’re replacing an old furnace or installing one for the first time, the type of furnace you pick will have a big impact on your overall project costs. Electric models are typically the most affordable option, while oil furnaces are the priciest.
Furnace Type | Average Cost Range |
---|---|
Electric | $600–$2,600 |
Natural gas | $700–$3,000 |
Propane | $800–$3,000 |
Oil | $1,000–$4,000 |
The size of your furnace, measured in British thermal units (BTUs), also affects its costs. Residential furnace sizes usually range from 40,000 to 120,000 BTUs, depending on the property’s square footage, insulation and ductwork, number of windows and doors, and more. Your HVAC installer will calculate the right size furnace for your home based on these factors.
Here are the estimated costs of natural gas furnaces—the most common type—in different sizes:
Furnace Size in BTUs | Average Cost Range |
---|---|
40,000–60,000 | $700–$2,000 |
60,000–80,000 | $800–$2,200 |
80,000–100,000 | $900–$2,500 |
100,000–120,000 | $1,000–$2,700 |
120,000–140,000 | $1,100–$3,000 |
A furnace’s Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE) rating is a percentage that represents how much fuel it converts into heat. Furnaces with higher AFUE ratings use fuel more efficiently, so they can help reduce your heating bill, which is especially helpful in Philadelphia’s long and cold winters.
However, more efficient furnaces are pricier to purchase and install than lower-efficiency models. In fact, high-efficiency furnaces—or those with AFUE ratings above 90%, according to the U.S. Department of Energy—can cost twice as much as standard efficiency models (80% to 89% AFUE).
If your current ductwork is damaged or not compatible with your new furnace, you’ll also need to budget for ductwork replacement. In Philadelphia, replacing ductwork costs an average of $410 to $1,630, but this can vary depending on the size of your house, duct material, and other factors.
Before installing a new furnace, your contractor will need to remove and dispose of the old one. Generally, this adds several hundred dollars to your project total. Many HVAC pros in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, will include this service in their quotes, but if you don’t see it, be sure to ask.
Your total furnace installation costs will also depend on how much your pro charges for labor, as well as the cost of permits and sales tax.
In Philadelphia, you need to hire a licensed and insured contractor to install your heating system. Although the city doesn’t have a specific HVAC licensing requirement, your pro should have a contractor license unless their company only works on existing one- or two-family dwellings.
In addition, HVAC pros in Philadelphia need a sheet metal license to install, maintain, and service sheet metal used in HVAC systems. If your project involves upgrading or adding new ductwork, make sure your pro is licensed to do so.
For any HVAC project including furnace installation, it’s also best to hire a contractor who’s certified by North American Technician Excellence (NATE). This is an optional certification, but it helps ensure that your pro has the right skills and experience for the job.
Before installing a furnace or ductwork, your local furnace installation pro will need to get a mechanical permit from the city of Philadelphia. Permit costs vary depending on the specifics of your job. But as an example, if you have a one- or two-family property, you’ll pay around $190 for new ductwork or $69 for each new heating appliance, not including city and state surcharge fees.
If you buy a new furnace in Philadelphia, you’ll pay the city’s 8% sales tax. Depending on the price of your furnace, this could increase your costs by hundreds of dollars. On a $2,000 furnace, for example, you’d pay $160 in sales tax.
In Philadelphia’s winters, snow and freezing temperatures are common, so you need a reliable heating system to stay safe and warm throughout the colder months. And if you ever decide to sell your home, potential buyers will expect that, too.
If you upgrade your home’s HVAC system before putting your house on the market, it could boost your home’s value by 5% to 7%. You’ll see the biggest increase if you invest in a high-efficiency system, which will be attractive to buyers who want to reduce their energy bills or carbon footprint.
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