96% 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 Glencoe, MN
Replacing a Glencoe furnace costs $4,500–$9,500 installed with us, priced the same as in the metro with nothing added for distance. The quote is written and flat-rate after a Manual J. In Glencoe's older homes, moving to a 96–98% furnace usually means switching from chimney venting to PVC.
Furnace replacement calls in Glencoe homes
Most furnace replacements in Glencoe swap out an older 80% or mid-efficiency unit in a full basement. Moving to a 96–98% furnace means PVC intake and exhaust through the rim joist and a condensate drain, and it leaves the water heater venting alone into a chimney built for two appliances; a liner or a power-vent water heater solves that, and it's in the quote. If a chimney is in poor shape anyway, getting the furnace off it is one more reason to go condensing.
The AC coil perched on top of the old furnace needs a decision. If the air conditioner is young and on R-410A, the coil can often be reset on the new furnace with a proper transition; if it's R-22 or tired, replacing both together is usually cheaper than paying for coil work twice. Your gas utility's rebate program applies to the furnace, while Glencoe Light & Power runs its own programs on the electric side. A mechanical permit is required.
Updated September 23, 2026
How much does a new furnace cost in Glencoe?
An installed furnace from us runs about $4,500–$9,500 in Glencoe: 80% AFUE roughly $4,500–$6,000, 96–98% AFUE roughly $6,500–$9,500. Same prices in Glencoe as in every town we serve. See the furnace replacement cost guide.
Are there rebates for a new furnace in Glencoe?
Electric rebates in Glencoe come from Glencoe Light & Power, not Xcel Energy. Its rebate list covers heating and cooling systems, ground-source heat pumps and heat pump water heaters for its own electric customers, and some of its programs note limited funds paid out first come, first served. Terms can change during the year, so check before you buy. For a gas furnace, the rebate comes from whichever gas utility sends your bill; look at that company's current heating program before you sign. 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 Glencoe: questions
Does an older Glencoe two-story need a bigger furnace than a rambler of the same size?
Not by rule. An older two-story has more wall area and often less insulation, which raises the heat loss, but plenty have had attic insulation and new windows since. A Manual J works that out room by room. Where upstairs rooms run cold, the cause is usually a missing return or small supplies rather than furnace size, and a bigger furnace just short-cycles.
Can the new furnace in our Glencoe house use the existing ductwork?
Usually, after a check. Ducts that have served several furnaces are often fine in the main trunk, but returns can be undersized for a modern blower and old joints may leak. We measure static pressure on the old system and look at the return path. If the numbers are high, adding a return or opening a restriction during the install costs far less than living with a noisy, overheating furnace.
More in Glencoe
Furnace replacement near Glencoe
- Green Isle, MN 9 mi
- Silver Lake, MN 9 mi
- Lester Prairie, MN 10 mi
- Norwood Young America, MN 11 mi
- Arlington, MN 12 mi
- New Germany, MN 12 mi
Brands we install and service
Guides on furnace replacement
Furnace Replacement Cost in Minnesota (2026)
A new furnace installed in Minnesota runs $4,500–$9,500 with us: 80% vs 96–98% AFUE prices, what moves a quote, and rebates now that 25C has ended.
Read the guideWhat Does a Furnace Pressure Switch Do, and Why Does It Keep Tripping?
A furnace pressure switch proves the inducer is venting exhaust before the gas can open. Why it trips in a Minnesota winter, what you can check, and the cost.
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Furnace replacement in Glencoe? Call or send a request.