How Much Does it Cost to Replace a Boiler in New York?

If you’re looking to replace your boiler, you’re probably wondering how much it will cost you when all is said and done.

Well, for a residential 1-3 family home, the price of a new boiler plus installation in the NYC metro area ranges from $5,200 - $12,500, with the average price being $7,000.

The exact price of your boiler installation/replacement depends on these 5 factors:

• Boiler size
• Whether you’re switching to natural gas
• Boiler efficiency
• Permits
• Convenience features

Let’s take a closer look at these factors…

Want a professional quote for your boiler installation? Just contact us—we offer fair pricing and quality installations done right, the first time.

How it affects price: The larger the boiler, the more you’ll pay.

Boilers are sized according to how much heat they can produce in an hour—which, actually, has no bearing on their physical size. And the amount of heat a boiler can provide is measured in “BTUs” (amount of energy it takes to heat 1 pound of water by 1° F). So, the more BTUs a boiler has, the “bigger” it is, which just means it can produce more heat.

Most residential homes will need boilers with an output range of 100,000-300,000 BTUs.

However, keep in mind that you don’t have a choice when it comes to the size of your boiler. The heat output your home needs is simply the heat output it needs. Going too big or too small will result in higher monthly bills, frequent repairs and a shortened boiler lifespan.

So how do you know what size boiler you need? Well, the most accurate way to size your home’s boiler is to have a professional perform a heat loss survey for hydronics/hot air systems and a radiator survey for steam systems.

How it affects price: If you’re switching to a natural gas boiler, the overall cost of your boiler installation increases, especially if your home doesn’t already have a gas hookup.

Natural gas boilers are typically cheaper to operate than oil or electric boilers because natural gas is currently (and always has been) cheaper than oil and electric. So, naturally, a lot of homeowners in our area find it beneficial to switch from oil to natural gas.

But keep in mind that this will most likely increase the cost of your overall installation. 

Some additional costs associated with switching to a natural gas boiler includes:

• New gas line into home (if none presently exists)
• Adding a chimney liner
• Removal of asbestos (if applicable)

How it affects price: The higher the efficiency, the higher the upfront cost. However, more efficient boilers offer lower monthly costs.

The efficiency of a boiler is measured by its AFUE (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency) rating. This rating is a measurement of how much heat a boiler produces vs how much fuel it consumes. Depending on the type of boiler you get, you may have the option to choose a boiler with an AFUE rating anywhere from 80% to 96%+. 

Want to know how much you’re saving (or wasting) based solely on your boiler’s AFUE rating? Then follow this pattern:

• An 80% AFUE-rated boiler means that for every dollar you spend on heating, 80 cents goes toward actual heat while 20 cents gets wasted. 
• A 96% AFUE-rated boiler, means that only 4 cents gets wasted for every dollar you spend on heating, while the other 96 cents goes toward actual heat.

Another way to determine a boiler’s efficiency is to look at whether it’s a condensing vs non-condensing boiler:

• Non-condensing boilers are 80-88% AFUE-rated. During a heating cycle, they allow heat from water vapor to vent outdoors, wasted.
• Condensing boilers are 90%+ AFUE-rated. During a heating cycle, they capture the heat from water vapor that’s typically wasted and use it to preheat cold water entering the boiler.  

Note: Only a licensed professional can obtain a permit from the NYC Department of Buildings (DOB).

In New York City, several factors comprise this cost:

• Permit Fees
  
• Expediting Fees
  
• Asbestos Report Card
• Engineering Plan (applicable on commercial boilers over 1,000,000 BTU’s)

Because pulling permits requires skillful coordination with the NYC DOB, we suggest choosing a professional plumbing and heating company capable of completing the job the proper way. 

How it affects price: The more comfort features your boiler has, the higher the price.

When choosing your particular unit, you can opt for boilers with specific “comfort features”. These features are basically add-ons that increase the usability and efficiency of the unit and the comfort it can provide.

Think of boiler comfort features as the "luxury features" like automated pre-collision braking or blind-spot monitoring in cars.

Some boiler comfort features include:

• Modulating burners- Unlike staged boilers that can only provide several “stages” of heat output (i.e. low or high), boilers with modulating burners can precisely control its heat output and adjust it at any time. This feature allows for constant even heating.  
• Electronic ignition control- Newer boilers offer electronic ignition. This form of ignition is more efficient than older “standing pilot” ignition systems. That’s because electronic ignitions only ignite when the boiler is actually producing heat (it turns off in between heating cycles). Standing pilot ignition systems, on the other hand, stay lit in between heating cycles which is much less efficient.
• Wifi Enabled / Wireless Thermostats- These thermostats allow homeowners to remotely adjust the temperature of their home via the internet on your computer, tablet or cell phone.

If you want to know the specific price for your boiler installation, we can help.

Just contact us and we’ll send out a professional who can inspect your current system and offer a fair quote.