How Long Does a Furnace Replacement Take?
A straight furnace swap is usually done in one day. Venting changes, a chimney liner, gas line or duct work, and the permit inspection add time. What to expect.
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Furnace Replacement in Buffalo, MN
Most Buffalo homes burn CenterPoint Energy gas, so a new high-efficiency furnace here can qualify for CenterPoint's heating system rebate. Our installed price is $4,500–$9,500: roughly $4,500–$6,000 for 80% AFUE and $6,500–$9,500 for 96–98%, in a written flat-rate quote sized with a Manual J.
Furnace replacement calls in Buffalo homes
Replacing a furnace in Buffalo usually starts with the vent. Older homes near downtown often have the furnace and water heater sharing a chimney, so a 96–98% furnace means PVC out a side wall and a plan for the water heater left behind, either a chimney liner or a power-vent model. In the 1960s–80s split-levels, fit comes first: the utility room was built around a smaller cabinet, and the side-wall vent has to clear windows, the gas meter and the deck.
The 1990s and 2000s houses already have PVC, but the pipe and drain were sized for the old furnace, so we check them against the new one's manual. Every size comes from a Manual J, and a lakeshore house with a wall of glass loads differently than an interior lot. CenterPoint's heating system rebates cover qualifying high-efficiency furnaces and let you pick your installer. We pull the mechanical permit and book the inspection.
Updated September 23, 2026
How much does a new furnace cost in Buffalo?
An installed furnace from us runs about $4,500–$9,500 in Buffalo: 80% AFUE roughly $4,500–$6,000, 96–98% AFUE roughly $6,500–$9,500. Same prices in Buffalo as in every town we serve. See the furnace replacement cost guide.
Are there rebates for a new furnace in Buffalo?
Inside the city, electricity comes from Buffalo Municipal Utilities, a Minnesota Municipal Power Agency member, and MMPA's member programs list rebates for air-source heat pumps and central air conditioners. Xcel Energy's electric rebates apply only if Xcel is on your bill, which is the case in parts of the surrounding townships, where Wright-Hennepin also serves some homes. Gas furnace and boiler rebates come from CenterPoint Energy, which lets you choose your own dealer and wants the application filed in the same calendar year as the install. Rebate programs change every year, so check the utility's current terms before you buy.
Our guides: Xcel and CenterPoint rebates, heat pump rebates.
Signs it's time to replace your furnace
- A cracked heat exchanger on a furnace that's out of warranty
- The furnace is 20-plus years old and needs another major repair
- Rooms far from the furnace never warm up on sub-zero nights
- Gas bills climbing while your thermostat settings haven't changed
- Repair calls two or more winters in a row
- A burner roar or blower noise you can hear across the house
- Replacement parts for your model are getting hard to find
More detail on our furnace installation page.
Furnace replacement in Buffalo: questions
Can the new furnace reuse the PVC venting from our 1990s Buffalo furnace?
Sometimes. Each furnace's installation manual sets the pipe diameter and maximum run for its size, and first-generation 90% furnaces often used pipe or terminations that a new model's manual won't accept, such as an exhaust too close to a window or to the ground. We read the new furnace's venting table against what's in your wall. If the pipe meets it, we keep it. If not, the new pipe is listed in the written quote.
Does Buffalo's city electric utility affect which furnace we should buy?
Indirectly. The furnace burns CenterPoint gas, so its rebate comes from CenterPoint. But a variable-speed blower runs on electricity from Buffalo Municipal Utilities, and if you're weighing a heat pump alongside the furnace, the city utility's own rates and programs decide how that pencils out. We look at both bills before recommending a combination, since the terms differ from Xcel Energy's.
More in Buffalo
Furnace replacement near Buffalo
- Maple Lake, MN 7 mi
- Montrose, MN 8 mi
- Waverly, MN 9 mi
- Rockford, MN 9 mi
- Delano, MN 10 mi
- Monticello, MN 10 mi
Brands we install and service
Guides on furnace replacement
Furnace Burning Smell in a Minneapolis Home: What Each Smell Means
Dust, hot plastic, rotten eggs or exhaust: what each furnace smell means, which mean shut it off now, and the basement causes we find in Minneapolis homes.
Read the guide96% vs 98% AFUE Furnace: Is the Upgrade Worth It in Minnesota?
What AFUE measures, the gas math from 80% to 96% to 98% using your own bill, and what a 98% furnace really buys you in a cold Minnesota house.
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Furnace replacement in Buffalo? Call or send a request.