Denver’s climate swings hard. Bluebird afternoons can drop into single digits after sunset, and the Front Range wind cuts through thin walls and tired ductwork. When a homeowner calls about Furnace Installation Denver CO, the first real fork in the road is simple to state and not always simple to decide: gas or electric. Each path carries implications for comfort at altitude, operating cost on Colorado utilities, safety and code, and long-term flexibility as the grid and local incentives change. I’ve installed, serviced, and replaced both across metro Denver, from Park Hill bungalows with half-century-old ducts to new builds on the west side with sealed mechanical rooms. The better choice usually emerges once we layer your home’s specifics onto the realities of Denver’s winter and the way furnaces behave above 5,000 feet.
What altitude does to furnaces
At 5,280 feet, oxygen is lower, which matters for combustion. A gas furnace is essentially a controlled fire that transfers heat to air. Less oxygen means the flame chemistry shifts. Manufacturers account for this with high-altitude kits and by derating input. A 100,000 BTU-input gas furnace at sea level might be capped effectively around 85,000 to 90,000 BTU in Denver, depending on the make. That doesn’t mean you’ll freeze. It means a proper Manual J load calculation and a correct orifice or pressure adjustment are not optional. Get that wrong and you see sooting, nuisance lockouts, and a heat exchanger that fails years early.
Electric furnaces don’t burn fuel, so they don’t care about altitude. Their heat output is essentially one-to-one with electrical draw. If it says 20 kilowatts, you get 68,000 BTU regardless of elevation, give or take minor voltage variations. That simplicity appeals, but it hides the bigger lever, which is your utility rate. In Denver, electricity runs higher per unit of heat than natural gas, especially in deep winter. The math bears weight on every monthly bill.
The cost picture in real numbers
People want ballpark figures, not placeholders. I’ll offer ranges based on recent Denver jobs. For a typical 2,000 square-foot house with fair insulation and existing ductwork in working order:
- Gas furnace installation with a 92 to 96 percent AFUE unit, venting, gas line adjustments, and a new thermostat often lands between $5,500 and $9,500. High-efficiency condensing models toward the top of that range need PVC venting and condensate management. Variable-speed blowers and better filtration add cost but also comfort. Electric furnace installation, including a 15 to 20 kW cabinet and the significant electrical work to support it, usually totals $6,000 to $10,000. The wild card is your service panel. If you’re at 100 amp service and already loaded with a range, dryer, and AC, you may need a service upgrade to 200 amps. That pushes total cost into the $10,000 to $16,000 zone.
Operating costs separate them further. On recent bills, natural gas in metro Denver has translated to heat delivered at roughly one-third to one-half the cost of straight electric resistance heat. The ratio moves with commodity prices, but a large spread has persisted over the years. If your winter setpoint is 70 and your house loses 30,000 to 50,000 BTU per hour on cold nights, the gas unit feeds that need more cheaply most seasons. Electric can narrow the gap only if paired with a heat pump, rooftop solar, or both. Straight resistance is the most expensive heat in town on most rate plans.
Comfort, airflow, and the feel of heat
The best systems don’t just heat the air, they make a house feel calm and even. High-efficiency gas furnaces with modulating gas valves can run low and steady, trimming temperature swings. In a Cherry Creek home we serviced, swapping a single-stage 80 percent unit for a 96 percent modulating furnace dropped the bedroom temperature swing from a choppy 3 to 4 degrees to about 1 degree across a normal evening. That also cut the wind-noise in the duct branches because the blower rarely surged to high speed.
Electric furnaces, essentially big toasters with a blower, can also use variable-speed fans. They warm slower at the register because the leaving air temperature tends to sit lower than a gas flame’s peak, but with the right cfm-to-kW match they feel consistent. If a homeowner is switching from gas to electric, I warn them about the “warmth perception.” Gas outlets can deliver 110 to 125 degree supply air under load. Electric often hangs closer to 90 to 105 unless oversized or staged aggressively. That lower delta-T can be pleasant, yet some folks interpret it as “not as hot.” The house reaches setpoint all the same if sized and balanced right.
Ductwork matters more than brand. I have walked into brand-new 96 percent furnaces wheezing through undersized returns, starving the blower and sending noise up the supply trunk. Before any Furnace Installation Denver CO, we measure static pressure, inspect returns, and pop a few registers to check branch sizing. A $300 return drop modification can deliver more perceptible comfort than an extra point of AFUE.
Safety and code in the Front Range context
Denver and surrounding jurisdictions enforce national mechanical codes with local amendments. Gas furnaces require proper combustion air, listed venting, and gas line sizing with a test. In older neighborhoods, I still see orphaned water heaters after a furnace upgrade. A new high-efficiency furnace might vent out the sidewall, leaving a conventional water heater alone on a large masonry flue. That flue stays cold, the water heater backdrafts, and carbon monoxide becomes a risk. Good contractors set B-vent liners or change the water heater venting, not as a “nice to have” but as a basic safety fix.
Electric furnaces avoid combustion risks, though they do require correct overcurrent protection, conductor sizing, and a clean sequence of operations. In homes with older aluminum branch wiring or mixed renovations, we test and sometimes replace those runs. The main hazard with electric heat is heat buildup from loose connections or undersized wiring. It is preventable with a proper install and a torque wrench, not guesswork.
Smoke and CO detectors are non-negotiable no matter the fuel. If you keep any gas appliances, put a CO detector near sleeping areas and on each level. Denver Fire sees winter spikes in CO calls during cold snaps, often from blocked vents after snow or birds nesting in shoulder seasons.
Maintenance reality: the long game for reliability
A gas system needs seasonal attention: burners cleaned, flame sensor polished or replaced, heat exchanger inspected, condensate traps flushed, inducer noise checked, gas pressure verified, and venting examined for joint leaks or staining. These aren’t elaborate tasks, but they do need doing. When we schedule furnace maintenance Denver homeowners often ask if annual is overkill. At minimum, think every 12 to 18 months for a high-efficiency unit, and more often if you have shedding pets, a construction project, or noticeable dust. Neglected flame sensors and plugged condensate traps are the top two service calls we see every first cold week.
Electric furnaces are simpler. We check sequencers or relays, tighten lugs, test coils for https://reidzegb271.image-perth.org/furnace-replacement-denver-comparing-quotes-the-right-way resistance, and confirm that staging and fan speeds are correct. Filters matter equally for both. People underestimate how quickly drywall work or a kitchen remodel loads a filter and pushes static pressure into the red. During any furnace service Denver techs should measure total external static and compare it to the blower’s rated maximum.
If the unit is getting old, a frank conversation about furnace replacement Denver residents benefit from is one that includes repair history. Three inducer swaps in five winters on a condensing unit often points to a venting nuance or a drain routing issue more than bad luck. A skilled tech fixes root causes, not just parts.
The replacement trigger: when to stop patching
I rarely tell someone to replace a furnace simply because it turned fifteen. Plenty of 20-year-old mid-efficiency units still run steady. Yet age matters alongside parts availability and heat exchanger integrity. For gas furnaces, heat exchanger cracks are a hard stop. With electric, burned wiring lugs or repeated sequencer failures indicate heat stress. If you’ve spent more than one-third of the replacement cost in the past two to three years, that is the other signal.
On a recent job in Highlands Ranch, a 17-year-old 80 percent gas furnace needed a control board, a draft inducer, and had rising CO readings in the supply plenum during combustion. The homeowner had called us for gas furnace repair Denver style, expecting a motor swap. After testing and a camera in the exchanger, we flagged it as unsafe. We replaced it with a 96 percent two-stage unit, added a lined vent for the water heater, and enlarged the return. Their gas bill dropped by about 10 to 15 percent that winter, and hot-cold swings in the upstairs bedrooms calmed down. That is what a well-timed Furnace Replacement Denver CO can deliver when paired with duct tweaks.
Electric’s case: when it wins
For certain homes, electric is the better call even with higher operating cost per BTU.
- All-electric townhomes or condos where gas is not available or would be expensive to extend. I installed a 15 kW air handler in a Capitol Hill unit, paired with a heat pump for shoulder seasons. The resistance heat kicked in only on very cold nights. Homes prioritizing indoor air quality with no combustion appliances. An electric furnace eliminates venting penetrations and flue considerations, and it dodges any CO risk. Still, a kitchen gas range or gas water heater puts combustion back in the picture, so the gain is marginal unless you truly go all-electric. Houses with substantial solar. If you produce a lot of kWh, especially in winter, electric resistance heat can make sense, though most solar production peaks during shoulder months. A heat pump hybrid is often smarter, letting the heat pump carry the load above 25 to 35 degrees and staging in electric strips only in deeper cold. Rural properties where propane is the alternative. Propane pricing can be volatile. I have clients in outlying areas who prefer electric for price predictability and simplicity.
The drawback is demand spikes. A 20 kW furnace pulls around 83 amps at 240 volts on full call. That is a serious draw and can push your panel to its limits, especially with an electric range preheating and a dryer running. Sequenced staging softens the spike, but the wiring and panel must be right.
Gas’s case: why it remains Denver’s workhorse
Natural gas in Denver remains abundant and relatively affordable. A midwinter polar plunge with nights near zero demands real capacity, and gas furnaces throw large amounts of heat at high efficiency without stressing your electrical service. Modern 95 to 98 percent AFUE units squeeze the last bits of heat out of exhaust, and variable-speed ECM blowers sip electricity compared to old PSC motors.
Vent design has gotten smarter. We sidewall vent with discrete intake and exhaust terminations and consider prevailing winds. Condensate drains go to safe points, with neutralizers if needed. When properly installed, today’s gas furnace is quiet, clean, and safe.
There are trade-offs. The vent piping needs clear space and thoughtful routing. Condensate lines must be protected from freeze. Combustion settings need verification at altitude, not guessed from a manual written at sea level. But the payoff in steady, affordable heat is real.
What a proper install looks like in practice
On site, the smartest money is spent before the unit arrives. We measure, test, and plan.
- Load calculation and duct audit. A quick square-foot rule of thumb is a trap. Denver’s sunrooms, cathedral ceilings, and basements demand room-by-room numbers. We run Manual J or an equivalent with your wall R-values, window specs, infiltration, and altitude. If ducts are undersized or leaky, we propose fixes. Sometimes it is as simple as opening up a return grille from 12x12 to 16x20 and sealing obvious joints. Other times, it is a new return drop or adding a supply to a cold corner bedroom. Venting or wiring plan. For gas, we map the vent route and condensate. For electric, we calculate load, verify panel capacity, and route the feeder with proper support and clearances. I do not start sheet metal until those plans are set, because moving a furnace three inches to make a vent code compliant beats redoing a plenum later. Commissioning. After install, gas pressure is set with a manometer, combustion is checked with an analyzer where applicable, temperature rise is measured across the heat exchanger, static pressure is recorded, and airflow is dialed in. For electric, we verify each stage, amp draw per stage, and blower speed taps or ECM tables to match the coil or heat kit. We label panels with model and serials, filter sizes, and the documented static and temperature rise for future service.
This is where the phrase furnace tune up Denver often gets misused. A true tune-up is not a filter change and a flashlight glance. It is a series of measurements compared against the equipment’s specifications with adjustments to match.
Reliability patterns I’ve seen in Denver basements
Gas furnaces here most often fail in two predictable ways. First, flame sense. Dust and mild corrosion turn a $20 part into a Saturday night no-heat call. Keep it clean and it works. Second, condensate backups in high-efficiency units freeze or clog, tripping safety switches. Sloping and insulating lines, then checking traps, prevent most of that. Inducers and control boards fail too, but less frequently when voltages are steady and vents are clear.
Electric furnaces fail less often but more dramatically when they do. A failed sequencer can leave you with no heat or stuck-on heat. Loose lugs on high amperage runs cause heat damage over time. Those are installation and maintenance sensitive, which is why a torque check at each furnace service Denver contractors perform is worth the time.
Incentives, policy shifts, and resale considerations
Incentives change year to year. Xcel Energy has offered rebates for high-efficiency furnaces and for heat pumps, sometimes both when installed as a dual-fuel setup. City and county programs have leaned toward electrification in recent cycles, and federal tax credits have sweetened the pot for heat pumps and other upgrades. This matters because if you are building toward an eventual heat pump, pairing a heat pump with a gas furnace can bridge seasons efficiently. You run the heat pump down to a balance point, then let gas take over. That hybrid system stretches your budget and slashes operating costs on many days.
Resale plays in too. Buyers notice a new, efficient furnace. A clean mechanical room with labeled ductwork and a visible permit sticker signals care. Whether it is a Furnace Replacement Denver CO before listing or a mid-winter fix, documentation matters. Keep the install invoice, commissioning data, and permit close.
Edge cases: vintage homes and new airtight builds
Old Denver homes can surprise you. Knob-and-tube wiring tucked behind plaster near a proposed electric furnace feeder is not theory, it is a jobsite discovery. Supply trunks sized for low airflow gravity furnaces that were retrofitted in the 70s can choke a modern blower. We often see hot supply runs jammed into uninsulated crawlspaces that drip condensation. Each quirk leans the decision in a direction. If reworking ducts would be extensive, a properly sized gas furnace with a lower temperature rise and careful airflow control can be kinder to marginal ductwork than an electric unit that depends on high airflow to avoid cycling strips.
New airtight homes are the opposite. They benefit from balanced ventilation, sealed combustion, and sometimes full electrification. An electric furnace or, better, a heat pump with a modest electric backup aligns with the envelope’s design intent. If you opt for gas in that setting, sealed combustion and smart vent terminations keep the shell integrity intact.
Budget, timeline, and what to expect on installation day
A straightforward replacement in a basement with existing gas and venting can start at 8 in the morning and finish by late afternoon, including commissioning. Add a lined chimney for an orphaned water heater and you tack on an hour or two. Electric furnace installations that require panel upgrades take longer because electrical service work is its own permit and sometimes involves the utility. Plan a day or two and coordinate inspections.
Homeowners often ask what they can do to help. Clear a path to the furnace and electrical panel. Identify where you want the thermostat and whether Wi-Fi control matters. Confirm a drain route for condensate if you’re moving to a high-efficiency gas unit. If you have known allergies or dust concerns, let the crew know so they can stage drop cloths and use containment.
A practical decision framework for Denver households
The right choice balances math, comfort, and your house’s constraints. For a home on natural gas with average insulation, a high-efficiency gas furnace remains the best all-around value. Pair it with a variable-speed blower and schedule regular furnace maintenance Denver style, and it will run quietly for years. If you are planning a larger electrification roadmap, or gas is not available, an electric furnace can work, but consider combining it with a heat pump so resistance heat becomes the backup, not the driver. That hybrid approach cuts operating costs and adds summer cooling efficiency.
When repairs mount or safety flags appear, don’t pour money into a tired unit. Strong Furnace Replacement Denver CO projects look at the whole system, not only the box. That means duct tweaks, fresh filtration, and a commissioning report that proves the numbers.
Finally, choose the installer with the right questions. If they lead with tonnage guesses or push a one-size-fits-all package, keep interviewing. The best pros bring a manometer, a static gauge, and a willingness to explain why a 60,000 BTU unit might heat your house better than the old 100,000 ever did. That, more than any sticker on the cabinet, is what keeps your home warm when the wind comes off the foothills and the temperature drops after sunset.
Tipping Hat Plumbing, Heating and Electric
Address: 1395 S Platte River Dr, Denver, CO 80223
Phone: (303) 222-4289