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 Lakeville, MN
Every furnace we install in Lakeville is priced in writing at a flat rate, within our $4,500–$9,500 installed range for 80% to 96–98% AFUE. Many 1990s and 2000s houses here came with builder furnaces sized generously, so we run a Manual J before assuming the new one should match.
Furnace replacement calls in Lakeville homes
Most Lakeville replacements are the first ones these houses have needed. The 1990s and 2000s homes already vent in PVC, so the work centers on sizing and airflow: builder furnaces were often a size or two larger than the house needed, and a right-sized two-stage or variable-speed furnace runs quieter and evens out the bonus room over the garage better than one that blasts and shuts off. We reconnect and rebalance the air exchanger and humidifier and redo the condensate trap and drain.
The 1970s and 1980s homes by the lakes may still have an 80% furnace on a metal flue, which raises the usual venting and water heater questions if you move to 96–98%. Lakeville has two gas utilities, CenterPoint Energy and Minnesota Energy Resources, and the city publishes maps of both service areas. Each runs its own rebate program. We pull the mechanical permit as part of the install.
Updated September 23, 2026
How much does a new furnace cost in Lakeville?
An installed furnace from us runs about $4,500–$9,500 in Lakeville: 80% AFUE roughly $4,500–$6,000, 96–98% AFUE roughly $6,500–$9,500. Same prices in Lakeville as in every town we serve. See the furnace replacement cost guide.
Are there rebates for a new furnace in Lakeville?
Lakeville takes two bills to sort out. Gas comes from CenterPoint Energy or Minnesota Energy Resources, and electricity from Xcel Energy or Dakota Electric Association; the city publishes maps of both. CenterPoint's furnace rebates let you use any dealer, while Minnesota Energy Resources customers should check that utility's own program. Dakota Electric's Energy Wise Rebates and Xcel's heat pump rebates each have registered-contractor rules for some measures, so ask before you buy. 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 Lakeville: questions
Will a new furnace fix the cold bonus room in our Lakeville house?
Not by itself. Bonus rooms over garages lose heat through the floor and outside walls, and the duct feeding them usually runs a long way through a cold space. A variable-speed furnace helps by running longer and moving air more steadily, but the real fixes are sealing and insulating that duct, a bigger supply or a dedicated return, or a separate zone. Sometimes a single ductless head is simpler. We quote those options separately.
Lakeville has two gas companies. Which furnace rebate do we use?
The one that sends your gas bill. Parts of Lakeville buy gas from CenterPoint Energy and others from Minnesota Energy Resources, and each runs its own rebate program with its own equipment rules and deadlines. CenterPoint lets you use the dealer of your choice and wants the application submitted in the calendar year of the install. Check Minnesota Energy Resources' current offers directly. We supply the AHRI certificate for either.
More in Lakeville
- Furnace repair in Lakeville
- AC repair in Lakeville
- AC replacement in Lakeville
- All HVAC service in Lakeville
Furnace replacement near Lakeville
- Farmington, MN 5 mi
- Apple Valley, MN 6 mi
- Elko New Market, MN 7 mi
- Burnsville, MN 8 mi
- Rosemount, MN 9 mi
- Prior Lake, MN 10 mi
Brands we install and service
Guides on furnace replacement
Frozen Condensate Line on a High-Efficiency Furnace
Furnace quit in a cold snap and the drain line froze? How it trips the pressure switch, how to thaw it safely, and fixes that keep it from freezing again.
Read the guideFurnace Limit Switch Tripping? What It Does and What to Check First
Why a furnace high-limit switch keeps tripping, a symptom-to-cause table, the checks to do yourself, the order a technician follows, and what the fix costs.
Read the guideContact Us
Furnace replacement in Lakeville? Call or send a request.