Furnace and AC combo prices in Ontario
Replacing a gas furnace and a central air conditioner in one job typically costs $8,000 to $15,000 installed in Ontario, before HST. The pairing you choose sets most of that price, and one visit removes work you would otherwise pay for twice.
Furnace and central AC, replaced together
Heats and cools$8,000to$15,000
Typical installed price, Ontario 2026
- Low end
- $8,000
- Midpoint
- $11,500
- High end
- $15,000
Installed price in Ontario, before 13% HST ($9,040 to $16,950 with HST). Standard replacement in a detached home with usable ductwork and venting.
On this page
That covers a gas furnace and a central AC replaced in one visit in a detached home with usable ducts and venting: both units, a new matched indoor coil, the line set checked or replaced, the thermostat hookup, startup and removal of the old equipment. The midpoint is $11,500.
Combo prices by pairing
Most combined quotes fall into one of three pairings. The first price column shows where one combined job usually lands; the second adds up the typical price of each system bought on its own, as listed in the Ontario Furnace Prices index.
| Pairing | In one job | Separately, added up |
|---|---|---|
| EntrySingle-stage furnace (95 to 96% AFUE) with a standard AC (about 14.3 SEER2)Best for: tight budgets, smaller homes, houses you plan to sell | $8,000 to $11,500 | $7,800 to $13,500 |
| MidTwo-stage furnace (96% AFUE, ECM blower) with a standard ACBest for: most family homes, for quieter, more even heat and better summer dehumidifying | $9,500 to $13,500 | $9,300 to $15,000 |
| PremiumModulating furnace (97 to 98% AFUE, variable speed) with a variable-speed ACBest for: comfort first, with the steadiest temperatures, best humidity control and quietest running | From about $13,500, often above $15,000 | $13,500 to $21,500 |
The $8,000 to $15,000 combo range covers most jobs. A modulating furnace ($7,000 to $11,000) with a variable-speed AC ($6,500 to $10,500) starts near its top and can pass it.
Read the two price columns together. At the bottom of the market the floors are about the same, because a bare-bones swap has little shared work to remove. The gap opens in the middle and upper part of each range, where the cost of doing the work twice sits: two crew visits, two removals, a coil fitted to a furnace that is later replaced, two rounds of startup. We do not put a percentage on the saving, because it depends on how each company prices labour. Ask one installer to price the pair together and each system on its own.
A two-stage furnace with an ECM blower is a common middle choice, because the blower helps the AC too: it can run slower for quieter airflow and better dehumidifying. Stepping the AC up to two-stage or variable speed moves a mid pairing toward the top of the range. Single-system ranges are on furnace prices and air conditioner prices.
Why one job usually costs less than two
The AC's indoor coil sits directly on top of the furnace, and the furnace blower moves the air for both, so the middle of the system is shared.
Heating only
- Burners, heat exchanger and gas valve
- Venting through the wall or chimney
- The gas line connection
Shared by both
- The blower and its motor
- Filter, return and supply ducts
- Thermostat and control wiring
- Condensate drain or pump
Cooling only
- The indoor coil on top of the furnace
- The refrigerant line set
- Outdoor condenser, pad and disconnect
Replaced together, that shared middle is handled once: the new coil is set on the new cabinet, the blower is set for both heating and cooling airflow, one thermostat is wired, and both systems are started and tested in the same visit. Replaced years apart, some of that work is done twice, and the second job often has to adapt the coil or the sheet metal above the furnace to fit equipment it was not chosen for. Where your municipality requires a permit, one job can also mean one permit instead of two.
When replacing both makes sense
- Both are in the second half of their working life: a furnace past about 15 years and an AC past about 12. See how long furnaces last.
- One has failed and the other is not far behind.
- The AC still runs on R-22, or the indoor coil is leaking.
- You want a variable-speed AC, which needs a variable-speed furnace blower to run as designed.
- You are changing the ductwork anyway, or adding central air to a house with an older furnace.
When to replace only one
If the furnace is under about 10 years old and working well, replacing just the AC is reasonable; ask for a coil that fits your current furnace cabinet. If the AC is young and the furnace fails, ask whether the existing coil can sit on the new cabinet without a transition. Replacing a healthy unit early to get a package price usually does not pay. The furnace buying guide covers choosing the furnace half.
In favour of one combined job
- Shared labour, one removal and one startup visit
- A coil, blower and condenser chosen to work together
- Both warranties start the same day, with one installer
- No second disruption a few years later
Watch out for
- A larger single bill, typically $8,000 to $15,000
- Retiring a healthy, younger unit early
- Package prices that hide what each half costs: ask for the split
Price both systems in one visit
A free in-home estimate looks at your furnace, coil, ducts and venting together. Ask for the pair priced as one job and each system on its own.
Free, no obligation. About a minute to request.
Dual fuel: a heat pump instead of the AC
If both are due, there is a third option. A dual fuel system replaces the AC with a cold-climate heat pump and keeps a gas furnace as backup: the heat pump cools in summer and heats through milder weather, and the furnace takes over in deep cold. It typically costs $11,000 to $20,000 installed, against $8,000 to $15,000 for a furnace and AC.
| What differs | Furnace and AC | Dual fuel |
|---|---|---|
| Typical installed price | $8,000 to $15,000 | $11,000 to $20,000 |
| Winter heating | Gas furnace | Heat pump in milder weather, furnace in deep cold |
| Heat pump rebate | Not a rebate measure | May qualify, with approval before installation |
| Gas use | All of your heating | Lower, since the heat pump carries part of the season |
| Controls | A standard thermostat | Controls that switch between the two |
For a home heated by Enbridge natural gas, Home Renovation Savings listed an air-source heat pump rebate of $500 per ton, up to $2,000, when we checked on October 4, 2026. Eligibility depends on homeownership, the home and the equipment, approval is required before installation, and programs change, so treat any amount as unconfirmed until your project is approved. A standalone gas furnace or a cooling-only AC is not a heat pump rebate measure.
Running costs depend on gas and electricity prices and on how the controls are set; the heating cost calculator compares them. See heat pump prices and Ontario heat pump rebates.
Sources
- Home Renovation Savings: heat pumps checked October 4, 2026
- Home Renovation Savings: terms and requirements checked October 4, 2026
Renting a furnace and AC package
Rental and lease-to-own offers for furnace and AC packages are common in Ontario. They swap the upfront price for a monthly payment over a long term, often with maintenance included. A furnace alone typically rents for $40 to $80 a month on a 10 to 15 year term, and a package with central air costs more. Renting is not wrong, but compare it with buying on the same basis.
A worked example for a furnace alone: $60 a month for 12 years is $8,640 in payments before any yearly increases, against $4,000 to $6,500 to buy a single-stage furnace outright. The same arithmetic applies to a package's bigger monthly figure.
- Add up every payment over the full term, including yearly increases, and compare the total with the purchase price.
- Ask for the buyout price in each year of the contract.
- Check what happens if you sell the house or end the contract early.
If you plan to finance a purchase instead, note that the federal Canada Greener Homes Loan closed to new applications on October 1, 2025. Contracts and buyouts are covered in rent or buy a furnace.
Sources
- Natural Resources Canada: Canada Greener Homes grant process loan closure, checked October 4, 2026
Questions for a combined quote
Get two or three written quotes with the furnace and the AC on separate lines, so you can compare like with like. For a rough check on sizes first, use the furnace size calculator and the AC size calculator.
Ask every installer
- Can you price the furnace and AC together, and each one on its own?
- Is the indoor coil new, and matched to both the condenser and the furnace cabinet?
- What size is each unit, and was a CSA F280 load calculation done?
- What is the AFUE of the furnace, and the AHRI-rated SEER2 of the matched AC system?
- Are venting, the condensate drain, thermostat, permit and electrical work included?
- What is your TSSA registration number for the gas work, and does the refrigerant technician hold an ODP card?
- What are the parts and labour warranties on each unit, and is the price before or after 13% HST?
Furnace and AC questions
How much does a new furnace and air conditioner cost in Ontario?
Typically $8,000 to $15,000 installed in 2026, before 13% HST, when a gas furnace and a central AC are replaced in one job in a home with usable ducts and venting. An entry pairing sits near the bottom of that range. A modulating furnace with a variable-speed AC starts near the top and can go past it.
Is it cheaper to replace the furnace and AC at the same time?
Usually, compared with two separate jobs. One visit shares the labour, removal, coil fit and startup, and avoids reworking the coil later. How much you save depends on the installer, so ask for the pair priced together and each system on its own. If one unit is young and healthy, replacing only the other can still be the better deal.
Should I replace my AC when I replace my furnace?
Replace both if the AC is past about 12 years, runs on R-22 or has a leaking coil, or if you want a variable-speed AC. If the AC is under about 8 years old and works well, keep it and ask whether its coil fits the new furnace cabinet. A coil that does not fit needs a sheet-metal transition, which adds some labour.
Does a furnace and AC combo qualify for rebates in Ontario?
Not as a heat pump rebate. A standalone gas furnace or a cooling-only AC is not a heat pump rebate measure under Home Renovation Savings. If you choose a dual fuel system instead, the heat pump may qualify when the equipment and home are eligible and the project is approved before installation. Programs change, so confirm the rules before you buy.
How long does it take to install a furnace and AC together?
Most combined replacements take one long day, sometimes two when venting, ductwork or electrical changes are involved. Heating and cooling are both off while the work is done, so in deep cold or a heat wave, ask how the installer will keep the house safe and comfortable until the new system runs.