How Much Does It Cost to Replace a Boiler? | 2025 Price Guide

Are you considering replacing your boiler but feeling overwhelmed by the potential costs? You’re not alone.

Many homeowners are unsure about the financial investment required for boiler upgrades and replacements. Budgeting is a vital aspect of any major home improvement project, so understanding ways to minimize the overall costs of your next boiler can help you to make a decision you’ll be happy with for years to come.

At Mattioni, we’ve been helping customers navigate their home heating needs for generations. Our expertise on boilers, and in the HVAC field in general, means that our team can make sure you’ll receive accurate information tailored to your specific situation.

In this article, we’ll guide you through the six key factors that influence boiler installation costs, so you can make an informed decision without any surprises.

By the end of this article, you’ll understand the key elements that impact boiler replacement costs, including the type of boiler, installation complexity, and additional expenses. Arming yourself with this knowledge will prepare you to budget for your new boiler and choose the best option for your home.

2025 Boiler Price Range Expectations

A new boiler can cost anywhere from $9,000 to $25,000 based on variables like your home’s size and the qualities of the system you choose.

Now, I know this is a very wide price range that doesn’t give much clarity as to exactly how much you should expect to pay. The following factors, however, will help you to understand where in this range your boiler will fall. Think of each of these variables as options (some in your control, some outside of it) that slide your boiler replacement costs up or down.

1. System Design of the Boiler

Boilers generate hot water to be sent out to your home’s radiators as well as your for your showers, sinks, washing machines, and more. However, they vary in their design and how they accomplish this.

Fire-tube boilers send hot gases through tubes submerged in water, which absorbs the heat and is then sent outward throughout your home’s radiators. Fire-tube boilers tend to be the least efficient but are also the least expensive to install.

Water-tube boilers are essentially the inverse of this design; water is sent through tubes that are directly heated by the surrounding hot gases. Water-tube boilers are more efficient but also more expensive to install.

Combination (combi) boilers combine central heating with water heating in one unit. They heat water directly from the main when a tap is turned on, so they don’t require a water storage tank. Combi boilers are compact, energy efficient and come at a lower installation cost than a conventional boiler plus a domestic water heater. They’re great at managing the hot water needs of a smaller home or apartment.

Fire-tube and water-tube boilers can also be fitted with an indirect water heater to supply your home’s hot water for showers and sinks. Consult with your HVAC professional to evaluate which of these systems is best suited for your home’s needs.

2. Fuel Source: Oil, Propane, or Natural Gas

So long as your home has the existing infrastructure needed for an oil boiler installation (oil tank, quality chimney, etc.) the upfront cost of the equipment is often less than that of a propane or natural gas boiler. If you need a new tank or chimney at the time of installation, this may not be true.

Oil is a relatively inefficient fuel source, although it generates more heat per gallon which leads to a warmer, cozier comfort level in your home. Oil also tends to be the most expensive ongoing expense as its cost is volatile and depends on global market conditions.

Natural gas and propane boilers are within a close range of each other’s installation price.

Both types of gas furnaces are typically more expensive to install than oil, but they are also more efficient, meaning that they’ll pay off the price gap at some point in the future. They contain several of the same parts and are designed similarly, although the burner and gas valves are unique.

In order to install a natural gas boiler, your home must have access to a publicly available connection. Many homeowners find natural gas to be the most convenient fuel source as it doesn’t require a delivery service, unlike oil and propane.

3. The Energy Efficiency (AFUE) of Your Boiler

Fuel sources play a big part in determining the energy efficiency of your boiler, but the Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency is the precise measurement of how well a boiler converts fuel into heat.

For example, a boiler with an AFUE of 80% will convert 80% of its fuel into heat, while the remaining 20% is lost (typically through a chimney). In other words, if you put a dollar of heat into your 80% AFUE boiler, you’ll get 80 cents worth of heat.

Incrementally, boilers’ AFUE rating and installation price are directly related, however the biggest jump in efficiency (and installation price) is between 80% and 90% systems. The most efficient boilers can achieve AFUE ratings as high as 98%, which are the among the most expensive options.

4. Heating Capacity (BTUs) Needed from Your Boiler

British Thermal Units (BTUs) are the industry-standard metric when measuring a heating system’s ability to heat spaces of different sizes.

Your home’s square footage is the first variable when determining how many BTUs you’ll need out of your boiler, however there are a few more factors that play a part in this.

Your home’s layout, the direction it faces, the total number of windows and doors, and the insulation rating of your home all contribute to the level of heating your new system must provide to keep you comfortable.

As you might guess, the more BTUs your home calls for, the more expensive the boiler will be. We recommend scheduling an in-home consultation with an HVAC professional, where they can determine the most appropriately sized system for your house.

5. Additional Components

There are several components that come with a new boiler at no additional cost, such as an expansion tank, a circulator, and a finite length of piping, However, your installation may call for additional components not included with a new system, based on either your own wants or the logistics of the installation.

Many homeowners are interested in creating heating zones within their home to cut back on energy otherwise spent in areas of the house that are rarely used. To create a zoned system, you’ll need to install a few more circulators or zone valves which come at additional costs that reflect the total number of zones.

The details of your boiler replacement may also dictate that you’ll need to purchase more piping for it to be installed properly. Parts like these will add to the total costs of the boiler installation.

6. Installation Complexity

Rather than install a new boiler entirely, many homeowners opt instead to upgrade their existing system’s efficiency from 80% to 90%, and/or to convert their existing furnace to a different fuel source, usually from oil to natural gas or propane to natural gas.

These are choices that you may be interested in making that come with some significant costs tied to the complexity of the job.

If you decide to switch fuel sources or make the jump from 80% to 90% efficiency, there are several additional costs associated with the job like switching the burner, re-venting and re-lining the chimney. Reach out to one of our HVAC professionals with any questions about upgrading your existing boiler.

How Much Should You Expect to Pay

Each of these six factors will slide your boiler replacment costs up or down. Be mindful of this as you make your boiler system selections.

We at Mattioni estimate that the average homeowner can find a good boiler that fits their home for $12,000 to $16,000.

How to Budget for Boilers and Choose the Right One for Your Home

Understanding the costs associated with replacing your boiler and how each individual factor increases or decreases prices can be complex. The most effective way to evaluate your options and select a unit you’ll be happy with for years to come is to become informed.

Your next step in this process is to prioritize your home heating needs (efficiency, fuel source, zoning, etc.) and begin to balance them with your budget.

Consider your short-term and long-term financial goals and how they impact both installation and utility costs. Bear this in mind when evaluating the difference between fire-tube and water-tube boilers, as well as the precise AFUE efficiency ratings of systems and the fuel source itself.

Consult with your professional boiler installation partner about your home’s unique heating capacity needs to select a system that’s adequately sized for your home, and factor any additional components or installation complexities into your budget. Also, If you’re installing a high-efficiency boiler, make sure your HVAC company uses a combustion analyzer during the installation to ensure the system will be set up to run at its highest efficiency.

Next, get answers to any remaining questions and compare the pricing estimates provided to you from your HVAC partners.

Don’t be afraid to also compare the professionalism and customer service provided by each company when making a final decision. Remember to consider the importance of a quality installation when evaluating HVAC installation partners.

Investing in a quality professional installation for your boiler can ensure you’re getting peak performance out of the system and can also potentially save you money on repairs.

To set your home up for years of cozy winters with a new boiler, schedule an in-home consultation with the friendly HVAC team at Mattioni by calling (610) 400-8510 or by booking an appointment online.