We’ll go over the average price of a furnace in the Vancouver area, along with what factors will impact your cost.
If you’re looking to install a new furnace in the Vancouver area, expect to pay around $6,999. But you could pay anywhere from $4,399 to over $8,999, depending on 3 things:
- The furnace itself
- The condition of your venting system
- The cost of labor
We’ll cover these factors in more detail.
Need a quote for a new furnace? Call us at 604-283-2383 or schedule an appointment online for a free consultation.
Cost factor #1: Furnace
The cost of the furnace itself will vary based on:
- Type (gas or electric)
- Efficiency (AFUE rating)
- Size
- Brand
- Added features
Let’s go over how each factor impacts the cost of a furnace.
Type
Generally, gas furnaces cost more than electric ones.
Although, gas furnaces tend to have lower operating costs simply because gas is usually a cheaper fuel source than electricity in Vancouver.
That said, when deciding which type of furnace to get, you’ll want to consider:
- Which fuel type you have access to. If you don’t have access to a gas line, you’re probably better off going with an electric furnace, rather than paying the expensive cost to install gas in your home.
- The size of your electrical panel. If you’re considering an electric furnace, make sure your home’s electrical panel is large enough to handle the added load. If not, you’ll need to have an electrician upgrade your panel.
Efficiency
The more efficient the furnace, the more you’ll pay for it upfront. Although, a more efficient furnace means lower monthly energy bills.
Furnace efficiency is measured by its AFUE (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency) rating, which indicates how well a furnace converts energy to heat.
For example, let’s say you have a furnace that has an AFUE rating of 95%. That means 95% of the fuel the furnace consumes is converted into heat and 5% is wasted in the process.
Most electric furnaces have AFUE ratings between 95% and 100%, while gas furnaces have ratings of 80%–98%. In Vancouver, almost all new furnaces sold are now high efficiency.
Size
The “bigger” the furnace, the more it will cost.
Furnaces are sized by their heating capacity (not their physical size), which is measured in BTUs (British Thermal Units). The more BTUs a furnace has, the more heat it can put into your home.
Residential furnaces can range anywhere from 40,000 to 200,000 BTUs.
Keep in mind: You don’t get to pick your furnace size. A professional will need to go through a complex calculation to determine what size furnace your house needs.
Learn more about why furnace size is important in our article, “What Size Furnace Do I Need? A Vancouver Tech Explains.”.
Brand
You’ll pay more for bigger, more well-known furnace brands like:
- Ruud
- Rheem
- York
- Lennox
- Carrier
- Bryant
- Trane
- American Standard
Although the brand names above might cost a little more, they also have some of the best-performing furnaces on the market. So you might pay more upfront, but you’ll get a system that will perform better and live longer—likely costing you less in the long run.
Features
Adding features to your furnace will increase your overall cost.
Newer furnaces allow you to add features that improve efficiency and allow for more even heating. Some features include:
- Variable-speed blower motor: This allows the blower fan motor to operate at any speed necessary to heat your home to the set temperature. Compared to single-speed (only blows full blast) and multi-speed (can blow at 2 speeds: high and low) blower motors, variable-speed ones are quieter, more efficient and keep your home more comfortable.
- Modulating burners: This allows a furnace’s burners to operate in very precise increments. Compared to single-stage (burners run at 100%) and two-stage (burners run high or low) furnaces, modulating furnaces can increase burner operation by as little as 0.5% to provide more consistent heating.
- Programmable thermostat: This allows the furnace to automatically heat your home based on a pre-set schedule. Most let you set 4 modes throughout the day, so you can lower the temperature when you’re not home and cut down on energy costs. While a programmable thermostat isn’t exactly part of a furnace, you can install one alongside your new furnace.
Cost factor #2: Condition of the venting system
All gas furnaces require a venting system for safe operation. This venting system pushes dangerous combustible gases (created as part of the heating system) outside of your home.
Sometimes, though, the existing venting system is either undersized or rusting out. In both cases, you’ll need to have the venting system replaced. Replacing or repairing your current ventiny system will add onto the overall price of your furnace installation.
Cost factor #3: Labor
You’ll pay more for better-quality contractors.
When it comes to installing a furnace, labor isn’t something you want to cut corners on. A quality contractor will install your furnace right, which will prevent costly problems in the future and make sure it operates at peak efficiency.
To hire a quality contractor, we recommend making sure they:
- Guarantee their work and have a valid gasfitting license
- Have good online reviews on sites like Yelp, Google and the Better Business Bureau
- Give you a written price quote before any work begins
- Factory trained and certified
Need a furnace installation quote in Vancouver?
One of our techs will give you a free in-home consultation to install a furnace in your home. Plus, we’ll give you pricing for all of your options right then and there—no surprise bills later.
