Furnace vs Boiler in Lexington County, South Carolina
When a furnace makes sense
If your house already has ductwork, a furnace is the straightforward choice, and just under half of homes in this region heat with one. Winters here are mild, with nights averaging 36°F and only about five months of heating needed, so the furnace isn't working hard most of the year. The same ducts can carry central air conditioning, which a boiler can't do.
When a boiler makes sense
A boiler makes sense if your home already heats through radiators or in-floor pipes rather than ducts. It runs about 5% cheaper here than a furnace, so if you're keeping an existing boiler system rather than switching away from it, that's a real saving on winter heating. It won't move cool air in the summer, so you'd need another way to cool the house.
When a furnace makes sense
If your house already has ductwork, a furnace is the straightforward choice, and just under half of homes in this region heat with one. Winters here are mild, with nights averaging 36°F and only about five months of heating needed, so the furnace isn't working hard most of the year. The same ducts can carry central air conditioning, which a boiler can't do.
When a boiler makes sense
A boiler makes sense if your home already heats through radiators or in-floor pipes rather than ducts. It runs about 5% cheaper here than a furnace, so if you're keeping an existing boiler system rather than switching away from it, that's a real saving on winter heating. It won't move cool air in the summer, so you'd need another way to cool the house.
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 Lexington County.
Furnaces already run in 48% of homes across this region, more than any other setup, which is why it fits here.
If your home already has radiators or in-floor pipes instead of ductwork, a boiler is still the better fit.
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 South Atlantic states that heat with one | 48% | 2% |
| Handles a 36°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 straightforward choice, and just under half of homes in this region heat with one. Winters here are mild, with nights averaging 36°F and only about five months of heating needed, so the furnace isn't working hard most of the year. The same ducts can carry central air conditioning, which a boiler can't do.
When a boiler makes sense
A boiler makes sense if your home already heats through radiators or in-floor pipes rather than ducts. It runs about 5% cheaper here than a furnace, so if you're keeping an existing boiler system rather than switching away from it, that's a real saving on winter heating. It won't move cool air in the summer, so you'd need another way to cool the house.
A Lexington County contractor will price both against your own house, your ductwork and your panel.
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