HVAC Replacement Cost in Aurora, IL (2026)

Why replacement cost varies so much across Aurora

A furnace swap in a home that already has ductwork, like most houses in Fox Valley Villages, Ginger Woods, or Hometown, is a relatively contained job since the contractor is replacing equipment in place. A boiler-to-forced-air conversion in a Near East Side or Downtown Aurora home, by contrast, requires installing new ductwork through a house that was never designed for it, which adds significant labor cost.

Home size also matters: larger homes in Butterfield and the far east side subdivisions often need larger-capacity furnaces or even two-zone systems, which costs more in equipment even before installation labor is added.

Furnace replacement pricing

A standard 80% AFUE furnace replacement in Aurora typically runs $2,800 to $4,800 installed, while a high-efficiency 90%+ AFUE condensing furnace, now the more common choice given Nicor Gas rebate eligibility, runs $3,800 to $7,200 depending on size and ductwork modifications. Homes with existing PVC venting for a condensing furnace save money versus first-time installs that require new vent penetrations through an exterior wall.

Two-stage or variable-speed furnaces, popular in newer Stonebridge and Orchard Valley construction for better comfort and lower utility bills, sit at the higher end of that range, often $5,500 to $7,200 installed.

Central AC and heat pump replacement pricing

A standard 3-ton central AC replacement in Aurora runs $4,500 to $8,200 installed depending on SEER2 rating and whether the existing ductwork and coil are compatible with the new unit. Homes upgrading to a cold-climate air source heat pump, which can supplement or replace furnace heating and qualifies for the higher ComEd incentive tier, typically run higher, often $7,000 to $13,000 installed, but can reduce reliance on gas heat.

If your AC and furnace are the same age, most Aurora contractors recommend replacing both together since a mismatched system with an old air handler and new condenser often underperforms and can void warranties.

Boiler replacement for older Aurora homes

Boiler replacement for a Near East Side or Downtown Aurora home with cast-iron radiators typically runs $6,000 to $12,000 installed depending on boiler size and whether existing piping and radiators are reused. Converting fully from a boiler system to forced air with central AC is a bigger project, often $12,000 to $20,000+, since it requires new ductwork throughout the home, but it does add central cooling that a radiator-only system cannot provide.

Some owners choose a middle path: keep the boiler for heat and add ductless mini-split heads for cooling, which avoids ductwork entirely and typically runs $3,200 to $6,000 per zone.

Rebates that reduce the real cost

Nicor Gas offers rebates on qualifying high-efficiency furnaces at 95% AFUE or higher and on combination boilers through its 2026 residential Energy Efficiency Program, with applications due within 90 days of installation. ComEd offers incentives on qualifying air source and centrally ducted heat pump equipment, with a higher incentive tier when paired with an ENERGY STAR smart thermostat.

Since most Aurora homes have both ComEd electric and Nicor Gas service, a single furnace-plus-AC replacement project can sometimes qualify for rebates from both utilities; confirm the specific equipment models are on the current qualifying products list with your contractor before signing the contract.

Next steps for Aurora homeowners

Get at least two written quotes that list equipment brand, model, and efficiency rating so you can compare apples to apples, and confirm the contractor will pull the City of Aurora mechanical permit as part of the job. Read our guide to choosing an HVAC company in Aurora for the specific questions worth asking before you sign.

For background on the full Aurora HVAC market, including permit rules and licensing verification, see the Aurora HVAC hub, or get matched with a vetted Aurora HVAC pro directly.

Design temperatures and correct furnace sizing

Chicago-area HVAC contractors size furnaces using an outdoor winter design temperature around 0 to minus 5 degrees F for the Aurora area, per ACCA Manual J guidance, rather than the average winter low, which is why a furnace that feels adequate most days can still short-cycle or run constantly during a true polar-air outbreak. A furnace that was sized correctly for a 1,600 square foot Hometown ranch in 1998 may be undersized after a bump-out addition or a finished attic, so an Aurora contractor should re-run a load calculation rather than simply matching BTU output to the old equipment nameplate.

This is especially relevant when replacing a furnace in an older Near East Side home where a previous owner may have added square footage without ever having the heating load recalculated; a contractor who just matches your old furnace's BTU rating without running a Manual J load calculation risks handing you an undersized or oversized system either way.

Verifying your contractor before a big-ticket install

Verifying City of Aurora contractor registration takes only a few minutes: call the Division of Building and Permits at 630-256-3130, give them the company name or registration number printed on the estimate, and ask whether it is active and in good standing. Some homeowners also ask the contractor to email a copy of the registration certificate before scheduling, which creates a paper trail if a permit or inspection dispute comes up later. Because Illinois has no statewide HVAC license, this municipal registration call is the closest thing Aurora homeowners have to a background check, so skipping it to save five minutes is a false economy.

Because Illinois does not license HVAC contractors at the state level, the state-level credential that does matter for a furnace or boiler job is the plumbing license required for any gas piping work, verified through IDFPR's online license lookup. If a contractor's crew disconnects and reconnects a gas line as part of a furnace or boiler swap without a licensed plumber involved, that is both a code violation and a safety risk, and it can also void your homeowner's insurance coverage if something goes wrong later.

Retrofit challenges in older Aurora homes

Retrofitting forced air into a Near East Side or Downtown Aurora home that was originally built for gravity heat or a boiler often means routing ductwork through closets, chases, or dropped ceilings that the original builders never accounted for, and a contractor who has not done this kind of retrofit work in older Aurora housing stock can end up with undersized trunk lines that leave upstairs bedrooms chronically too warm or too cold. Homeowners in these neighborhoods should ask specifically whether the estimate includes a room-by-room airflow check, not just a furnace swap, since the furnace is rarely the only bottleneck in a converted older home.

Homeowners planning a boiler-to-forced-air conversion should also ask how the contractor plans to route new PVC intake and exhaust venting for a condensing furnace, since older brick exteriors near Downtown Aurora sometimes require more creative routing than a typical subdivision home.

Getting the most from ComEd and Nicor Gas rebates

ComEd's rebate structure rewards higher-efficiency equipment with larger dollar amounts, so a variable-speed heat pump or a high-SEER2 central AC typically qualifies for a bigger incentive than baseline equipment, and pairing either with an ENERGY STAR smart thermostat unlocks an additional bonus. Nicor Gas mirrors this on the heating side, with its residential Energy Efficiency Program rewarding condensing furnaces at 95% AFUE or higher and smart thermostats, and the utility typically requires the rebate application, itemized contractor invoice, and equipment AHRI certificate to be submitted within 90 days of the install date. Aurora homeowners who wait past that window commonly lose the rebate entirely, so ask your contractor to submit the paperwork immediately after the final inspection rather than after the invoice is paid.

Condensate, sump pumps, and warranty registration

Basements in Stonebridge, Oakhurst, and other newer Aurora subdivisions frequently combine a foundation sump pump with a furnace condensate pump in the same mechanical area, and the two systems can interact in ways that surprise homeowners: if the sump pump fails during a heavy spring storm and the pit backs up, it can submerge the condensate pump's discharge line and trip the furnace's safety float switch, shutting down heating or cooling even though the actual problem is the sump. A qualified Aurora contractor should trace both discharge lines, confirm the sump has a working backup battery or water-powered backup, and make sure the condensate line is not tied into the same discharge pipe as the sump, since combining them can cause backflow.

Once a new furnace or AC is installed, register the manufacturer's warranty online promptly and keep a copy of the City of Aurora permit and inspection sign-off with your homeowner records, since both documents matter if you sell the home or need a future warranty claim.

Typical cost ranges

Ranges are general estimates gathered from homeowner-reported quotes, not an offer or a quote for your project.

Common questions

More on this market

Local cost ranges, seasons, permits and licensing for this city live on the market page.

Sources

• Nicor Gas - Residential Rebates
• ComEd - Heating and Cooling Discounts
• City of Aurora - Permits
• ENERGY STAR - Furnaces

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