Gas furnace replacement and new furnace installs in New Orleans
A furnace here runs maybe ten weeks a year, so the right replacement is the one that fits the house and the budget, not the biggest number on the box. We size it, pull the permit and install it in a working day.
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A gas furnace replacement in New Orleans usually takes one working day on existing ductwork and needs a city mechanical permit. Because heating season is short here, most homes do best with an 80% furnace in the attic or a switch to a heat pump; a 96% condensing unit pays back only where gas use is high.
When a furnace swap makes sense in a mild-winter city
Updated September 2026
Most furnaces we replace here fail from sitting, not running: rust on the burners from attic humidity, a cracked heat exchanger found on a fall tune-up, or an ignition board that corroded over a long wet summer.
That changes the math. We check how much heat the house uses and whether a heat pump would do the job for less, then quote two or three options.
What moves the price of a furnace replacement
These decide the price; the city mechanical permit alone typically runs $75-$200.
Efficiency rating
An 80% unit costs less to buy and vent than a 96% condensing furnace.
Location
An attic swap on the same platform is simpler than a closet unit or a relocation.
Venting
Reusing a sound flue saves time; a new roof penetration or PVC run adds it.
The AC coil
Keeping the old coil versus matching a new one to the furnace changes the parts list.
Gas line work
A new shutoff, sediment trap or a longer run to reach code adds labor.
Permit and inspection
The city mechanical permit and inspection are part of every replacement.
What comes with every furnace install we do
- Mechanical permit and inspection scheduling
- New flue connector sized to the furnace
- Gas shutoff and sediment trap to code
- Matched coil check or replacement
- Combustion and carbon monoxide test
- Temperature rise measured and recorded
- Old furnace hauled away
Furnace or heat pump: which replacement fits the house
| 80% gas furnace | 96% gas furnace | Heat pump | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Venting | Metal flue | PVC, plus condensate drain | None |
| Best fit | Attic installs, low heating use | Large homes, high gas bills | AC due for replacement too |
| Heats in a cold snap | Yes | Yes | Yes, with heat strips as backup |
| Also cools | No | No | Yes |
Gas Furnace Replacement
The standard job: the old furnace comes out of the attic or closet, the new one goes onto the same platform with a fresh gas connection, new flue connector and a matched evaporator coil if the AC is staying. We check gas pressure, measure temperature rise across the heat exchanger and run a combustion test before we leave. On existing ductwork with a clear attic path it is a one-day job; a furnace that has to move to a new location, or a flue that has to be rerun through the roof, adds time and we say so up front.
80% vs 96% AFUE
An 80% furnace vents through a metal flue and costs less to buy and install. A 96% condensing furnace vents through PVC, needs a condensate drain, and burns less gas per hour of heat. In a city where the furnace runs a few hundred hours a year, the fuel saving from the higher efficiency is small, so the extra install cost can take a long time to come back. We run the numbers on your actual gas bills before recommending either, and for most attic installs here the 80% unit is the honest answer.
Furnace to Heat Pump Conversion
If the AC is due at the same time as the furnace, replacing both with a heat pump and air handler is often the better buy. A heat pump cools exactly like a standard AC and heats efficiently down to temperatures New Orleans rarely sees, so the gas line can be capped or kept only for a water heater. We check the electrical panel first, because a heat pump with backup heat strips can need more capacity than an old gas furnace setup.
Heating in a hot-humid climate
Winter in this part of Louisiana is short and mild enough that a heat pump rarely needs its backup heat, which is why we price a heat pump alongside every furnace quote. Most cities in the state, New Orleans included, also require a mechanical permit for an HVAC replacement, so the permit goes on the job before the old unit comes out. We do not build rebates into our numbers this year: the Entergy Louisiana programs are paused and the federal 25C credit ended with 2025.
Brands we service and install
We repair and install Trane, Carrier, Lennox, Goodman, Rheem, Ruud and the other major lines, plus Mitsubishi Electric ductless.
How a furnace replacement runs from quote to first heat
- 1
Load and fuel review
We measure the house, look at past gas bills and check the air handler, flue and panel.
- 2
Written options
Usually an 80% furnace, a 96% furnace and a heat pump, with the reasons for each.
- 3
Permit pulled
The mechanical permit is filed before install day.
- 4
Old unit out, new unit in
Gas off, old furnace removed, new one set, connected and vented.
- 5
Combustion and safety tests
Gas pressure, temperature rise, flue draft and a carbon monoxide check.
- 6
Walkthrough and inspection
We show you the filter, the thermostat settings and schedule the city inspection.
Questions about Furnace Installation & Replacement in New Orleans
On existing ductwork with the furnace staying in the same spot, one working day.
Yes. A mechanical permit and inspection are required, and we pull the permit as part of the job.
Usually not on payback alone. Heating hours are low, so the gas savings are small. It can make sense in a large home with high winter gas bills.
If the AC is over 12 years old, often yes. Matching the coil and air handler avoids paying for two installs, and a heat pump may replace both.
Yes. Converting the furnace to a heat pump does not require removing gas service to the rest of the house.
Several of the major lines, including Trane, Carrier, Lennox, Goodman and Rheem. We recommend on fit and parts support, not on one brand.
A few minutes of that after months off is normal dust. Any lasting smell or gas odor is a call now.
Not by itself. Cold rooms are usually a duct or insulation problem, and we check those before quoting equipment.
More heating we handle in New Orleans
Gas Furnace to Heat Pump Conversion
Removing the gas furnace, electrical panel capacity and more.
Our gas furnace to heat pump conversion serviceHeat Pump Repair
Reversing valve failure, defrost board fault and more.
Heat Pump Repair in New OrleansFurnace near the end of its life?
Call and we will quote the replacement that fits the house.
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