Calgary furnace prices at a glance
These are typical installed prices for a Calgary house, including the City permit, removal of the old furnace and a standard venting and gas connection.
| Furnace type | Typical Calgary range |
|---|---|
| Single-stage | About $6,000 to $7,000 |
| Two-stage | About $7,000 to $8,500 |
| Modulating | $10,000+ |
Single-stage, two-stage or modulating
Single-stage: the burner is either off or on full. It's the lowest price and does the job. It cycles on and off more, so rooms swing a little warmer and cooler.
Two-stage: it runs on a low fire most of the time and goes to high only on very cold days. It's quieter, more even and burns less gas on mild days. This is the most popular choice in Calgary, because Chinooks give us so many in-between days.
Modulating: the burner adjusts in small steps to match the heat the house needs. It gives the most even temperature and the lowest gas use. It makes the most sense in bigger homes, homes with hot and cold rooms, and with a variable-speed heat pump.
All three are high efficiency. New gas furnaces sold in Canada must be high-efficiency, and modulating units are the most efficient of the three.
What a proper installation includes
Any quote you compare should cover all of this:
- A heat loss calculation to size the furnace to your house
- Removal and disposal of the old furnace
- Gas line, venting, electrical and duct connections to code
- The City of Calgary permit and inspection
- Condensate drain, and a pump if there's no floor drain nearby
- Thermostat setup and a full system test
- Registering the manufacturer warranty, and a walkthrough of the new system
Permits: what the City of Calgary requires
Every furnace installation or replacement in Calgary needs a City permit. Gas work needs a gas permit, and only a qualified gasfitter can get one.
Homeowners can't get a gas permit unless they're a certified gasfitter working on the home they live in. So the permit has to come from your installer.
Permits protect you. The inspection checks the gas line, venting and clearances. If you sell, a buyer's inspector or insurer may ask for proof the furnace was permitted. Ask every installer whether the permit is in their price.
Sizing: the heat loss calculation
The building code used in Alberta says a furnace has to be sized with a proper heat loss calculation. It's done room by room and looks at insulation, windows, air leakage and how cold it gets where you live.
Many older furnaces were oversized. An oversized furnace short cycles, wears out faster and leaves the house uneven. If your house got new windows, attic insulation or a finished basement since the old furnace went in, the right size has probably changed.
What pushes the price up
Most straight swaps land in the ranges above. These add cost, and a good quote lists them up front:
- Venting changes, moving the furnace or fixing code issues.
- An orphaned water heater. When a new furnace stops venting into the chimney, a gas water heater left alone in that chimney may need a liner or new venting.
- Undersized or damaged ductwork, especially return air.
- A new AC coil or heat pump at the same time. Doing them together saves a second visit.
- A smart or dual-fuel thermostat.
- Tight access, like a crawlspace or attic furnace.
Adding AC or a heat pump at the same time
If you want cooling, the furnace replacement is the cheapest time to add it. The indoor coil sits right on top of the new furnace, so the installer is already working there.
If you choose a heat pump, the furnace becomes the backup for deep cold. A two-stage or modulating furnace with a variable-speed blower pairs best with it. Our AC and heat pump pages have the typical Calgary ranges.
Manufacturer warranties
Most furnace makers give a longer parts warranty when the furnace is registered soon after installation, and many expect yearly maintenance to keep it. Terms differ by brand and model, so ask to see the warranty sheet for the exact unit you're buying, and keep your tune-up receipts.
How long it takes
Most installs take a day. You'll be without heat for part of it, so in deep cold we start early and get heat back on before evening. Moving the furnace or major venting changes can take longer.
How to compare quotes
Two quotes can look far apart and be for different jobs. Check that each one lists:
- The brand and exact model number
- The furnace size and how it was worked out
- The permit
- Venting, condensate and thermostat work
- Disposal of the old unit
- Who registers the manufacturer warranty
Paying for it
You can spread the cost over monthly payments through Financeit, a third-party lender, subject to credit approval. If you're also thinking about a heat pump, ask about doing both at once.