For equipment installed January 1 through December 31, 2026, the Nicor Gas Energy Efficiency Program takes $225 off a qualifying furnace rated 97% AFUE or higher and $150 off a 95% AFUE furnace, with an extra $50 on either when a qualifying smart thermostat goes on the same invoice ($275 or $200). Qualifying boilers earn more: $350 off a 95% AFUE heating boiler and $500 off a combination boiler. As a Nicor Gas Contractor Circle Installing Member we take the discount off your invoice at the time of sale, so there is no application, no mail-in form and no waiting for a check. Here is what qualifies, what AFUE actually measures, and why late April is a good moment to use it.
The 2026 Discount Amounts
The amounts below are the 2026 program figures for qualifying equipment we install in Nicor Gas territory, which covers most of Kane, McHenry, DuPage and DeKalb counties. Everything in this table comes straight off the invoice.
| Qualifying equipment | Instant discount | With a qualifying smart thermostat on the same invoice |
|---|---|---|
| Gas furnace, 97% AFUE or higher | $225 | $275 |
| Gas furnace, 95% AFUE | $150 | $200 |
| Heating boiler, 95% AFUE | $350 | Not applicable |
| Combination (combi) boiler | $500 | Not applicable |
The thermostat add-on is tied to the furnace discount: a qualifying smart thermostat installed on the same invoice as a qualifying furnace raises that furnace’s discount by $50. There is no standalone thermostat discount, and a thermostat bought at a store and installed on your own does not count. The boiler discounts stand on their own. Full details, including how the discount shows on your invoice, are on our CY2026 Nicor Gas instant discounts page.
What AFUE Means, and Why 95% and 97% Are the Lines
AFUE stands for Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency. It is the share of the gas you pay for that ends up as heat in your house over a full season, with the rest going out the vent. An 80% AFUE furnace, still common in Fox Valley homes built or last updated before the mid-2000s, sends 20 cents of every heating dollar up the flue. A 95% furnace sends 5 cents. A 97% furnace sends 3.
The jump from 80% to 95% is the big one, and it is why both lines start at 95%: that is where a furnace becomes a condensing furnace, with a second heat exchanger that pulls the last of the heat out of the exhaust and vents through PVC instead of a metal chimney. The step from 95% to 97% is smaller in gas savings but it usually comes with a modulating or two-stage gas valve and a variable-speed blower, which means longer, quieter, more even cycles. The program rewards that step with the higher $225 tier. On a heating boiler the 95% line works the same way, and a combi boiler earns the largest discount because it replaces both a boiler and a water heater with one condensing appliance.
How the Instant Discount Actually Works
No paperwork
It comes off the invoice
Because we are a Nicor Gas Contractor Circle Installing Member, the discount is applied at the time of sale. Your written quote shows the equipment price, the discount as its own line, and the net. You do not fill out a rebate form or wait weeks for a check.
Equipment
It has to qualify
The furnace or boiler must meet the AFUE threshold on its rating, be installed in a home served by Nicor Gas, and be installed by a participating contractor during 2026. We confirm the rating on the specific model before it goes on the quote, so the number you approve is the number you get.
Timing
Installed in 2026
The program covers equipment installed January 1 through December 31, 2026, and the amounts are subject to change or cancellation if funding runs out. Programs like this are budgeted for the year; the safest time to use one is before the fall rush, not after.
Stacking
It pairs with a CY2026 ComEd discount on dual fuel
On a dual-fuel system, the CY2026 Nicor discount applies to the gas furnace and a separate ComEd instant discount applies to the heat pump, each on its own equipment. The two do not overlap, so a dual-fuel install can earn both.
Why Late April Is a Good Time to Replace
If your furnace limped through this winter, or you already know it is past 15 years old, spring is the quietest window on the calendar to replace it, and there are practical reasons beyond scheduling.
- You are not replacing under pressure. Nobody is deciding at 9 p.m. in January with the house at 55°F. You can compare a written quote, the discount and financing side by side.
- The install day is easier. A furnace swap takes most of a day, and in April the house stays comfortable while the old unit is out. That also gives us time to do the venting, condensate and gas work properly instead of racing to restore heat.
- The discount is funded. Instant discounts draw on an annual budget. Using it in April, rather than hoping it is still there in November, removes one variable.
- You get a full summer of the new blower. A variable-speed blower on a 97% furnace improves the AC side too: better dehumidification, quieter airflow and more even rooms.
- The fall tune-up is already covered. A new furnace still gets its first-season furnace tune-up in October, and we will have the install fresh in mind.
For boiler homes in St. Charles, Sycamore, East Dundee and older parts of Elgin, the same logic applies with more force: a boiler replacement is a bigger job than a furnace, and April is when radiators can sit cold for a day without anyone noticing. Read more on our boilers page.
Getting the Most From It
Three things we tell every homeowner who asks about the discount. First, get the smart thermostat on the same invoice. A qualifying model raises the furnace discount by $50, and a smart thermostat installation done with the furnace means the staging, schedule and Wi-Fi are set up by the same technician who commissioned the furnace. Second, ask for both tiers on the quote. The price difference between a 95% and a 97% furnace is often smaller than people expect once the $75 difference in discount and the gas savings are counted, and the quote is free either way. Third, the discount comes off the total before financing, so a smaller balance is what you finance. You can prequalify in about 2 minutes with no impact to your credit score, and Nicor Gas customers can also ask about on-bill financing that puts the payment on the gas bill.
What we will not do is push a 97% furnace into a house where it does not make sense. A furnace properly sized to the house, installed with the right venting and airflow, matters more than the last two efficiency points. Our furnace installation page covers what a good install looks like; the furnace replacement page covers how to decide it is time.
Get a Written Quote With the Discount On It
Every replacement quote is free, in writing, and shows the CY2026 Nicor Gas instant discount as its own line so you can see the net before you decide. Request a free quote or call (847) 224-2420.
Heating with electricity or considering a heat pump? The CY2026 ComEd instant discounts page covers the electric side.
CY2026 Nicor Gas Instant Discount FAQs
How much is the Nicor Gas furnace discount in 2026?
$225 off a qualifying furnace rated 97% AFUE or higher, or $150 off a 95% AFUE furnace, for equipment installed January 1 through December 31, 2026. Adding a qualifying smart thermostat on the same invoice raises those to $275 and $200.
Is there a CY2026 Nicor Gas discount for boilers?
Yes. A qualifying 95% AFUE heating boiler earns $350 off, and a qualifying combination boiler that provides heat and domestic hot water earns $500 off. Both are taken off the invoice.
Do I have to apply for the CY2026 Nicor Gas instant discount?
No. As a Nicor Gas Contractor Circle Installing Member, we apply the discount at the time of sale. It appears as a line on your quote and invoice, and there is no form to mail or check to wait for.
Can I get the CY2026 Nicor Gas discount on just a smart thermostat?
No. The $50 thermostat add-on only applies when a qualifying smart thermostat is installed on the same invoice as a qualifying furnace. There is no standalone thermostat discount through the program.
What does AFUE mean on a furnace?
Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency: the percentage of the gas you buy that becomes heat in the house over a season. An 80% furnace wastes 20 cents of every heating dollar up the vent; a 95% furnace wastes 5 cents and a 97% furnace wastes 3.
Can I combine the CY2026 Nicor Gas discount with a ComEd discount?
On a dual-fuel system, yes. The CY2026 Nicor Gas discount applies to the gas furnace and the ComEd instant discount applies to the heat pump, each on its own piece of equipment.
Ready for a Quieter, Cheaper Winter?
Call for a free written furnace or boiler replacement quote anywhere in Elgin and the Fox Valley, or book online and we’ll confirm a time. The discount is already on the quote.
Prefer monthly payments? See financing options.
Discount amounts reflect the 2026 Nicor Gas Energy Efficiency Program for qualifying equipment installed January 1 through December 31, 2026, and are subject to change or cancellation due to funding limits. Rest Assured HVAC LLC is an independent contractor and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Nicor Gas.
Discount amounts reflect ComEd’s 2026 Home Heating & Cooling offering and are “up to” amounts per qualifying unit, subject to change or cancellation due to funding limits. Rest Assured HVAC LLC is an independent contractor participating in the ComEd Energy Efficiency Program and is not ComEd.
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