The promise
What does “free” actually include? Which furnace model, and what allowance is written down?
Homeowner price-transparency guide
The Furnace Isn't Free.
A promotion can make a package look simple. The real price is in the equipment, installation, required work, and terms. Learn what to ask before you sign.
- Furnace equipmentQuoted model and price
- Promotional allowanceCredit applied
- Installation and materialsSeparately itemized
- Total installed costWhat you actually pay
The headline and the invoice
Headline: “Buy a new AC and get a furnace free.” A promotion is a claim. These are the questions that sit underneath it.
The specification
Some offers may be built around a basic 80% AFUE, single-stage furnace. That is a configuration to check, not a fact about every promotion. Ask for model, efficiency, staging, capacity, venting, and compatibility.
Evidence label: analysis / inference from this site’s build notes, not an industry census.
The real total
Equipment plus labor plus required work, minus only the credits the contract actually applies. A credit against equipment is not the same as a free installed system.
Four questions before you accept
What exact furnace model is included?
What is the equipment-only allowance or credit?
What labor, materials, accessories, and modifications are additional?
What is the complete installed price, and the comparable price without the promotion?
A balanced starting point
Sometimes replacement is sensible. Sometimes repair is reasonable. The answer depends on diagnosis, condition, safety findings from a qualified person, compatibility, efficiency, parts availability, expected remaining life, and what you want. Age or surface rust, by itself, does not prove a furnace is unsafe. Get findings in writing.
This site does not name companies. It names the parts of an offer: equipment, allowance, labor, modifications, exclusions, and total. It does not turn one quote into a claim about the trade.
Furnace cost calculator
See what an allowance covers and what remains. Missing numbers stay unknown.
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Flag missing scope. No automatic winner.
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Build questions for a technician. This page will not diagnose the unit.
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