Furnace Mandate 2026

Important: Effective January 1, 2026

Colorado's New Low-NOₓ Furnace & Water Heater Requirements

What Colorado homeowners need to know about the upcoming changes

What's Changing

Starting January 1, 2026

Colorado House Bill 23-1161 prohibits the sale or lease of new gas-fired central furnaces and natural-gas water heaters unless they meet ultra-low NOₓ (nitrogen oxide) emissions limits.

Water Heaters

  • Units ≤ 75,000 Btu/hr: max 10 ng/J NOₓ
  • Units 75,000-2,000,000 Btu/hr: max 14 ng/J NOₓ

Furnaces

  • New standards for fan-type central furnaces
  • Ultra-low NOₓ emissions required

Why This Matters for Your Home

Cleaner Air & Health Benefits

NOₓ contributes to ozone and smog formation. This law is designed to reduce smog-forming pollution from household appliances, improving Colorado's air quality.

Avoid Cost Surprises

New units may cost more due to manufacturing requirements. Acting ahead of the deadline can save money and provide more options.

Future-Proof Your Home

Replace now under current rules for more equipment options and installer flexibility, rather than waiting for stricter requirements.

Inventory & Availability

After the deadline, all new stock must comply. Units already in Colorado inventory before that date may still be sold, but options will be limited.

What You Should Do Now

  • 1.

    Check Your Equipment Age & Condition

    If your existing furnace or water heater is near end-of-life, consider planning now for replacement rather than waiting for a winter failure.
  • 2.

    Ask Your Contractor Specific Questions

    • Is the replacement unit compliant with the January 1, 2026 low-NOₓ rule?
    • What is the NOₓ emission rating of the proposed unit?
    • Are there cost differentials now versus later?
  • 3.

    Explore Alternatives

    Consider heat pumps or electric systems. Transitioning sooner may bring rebates, reduce fuel dependence, and align with broader Colorado building-code trends.
  • 4.

    Budget for Possible Premium

    Gas furnaces may see price increases after the standard takes effect. Factor in potential higher pricing if you wait.
  • 5.

    Schedule in Advance

    Many homeowners will act ahead of the deadline. Scheduling now helps avoid seasonal delays and higher labor costs.

Reach Out To Us

Need service, have a question, or just want to talk to someone who knows what they’re doing? Give us a call, shoot us a text, or fill out the form — and we’ll be ready. Real people. Fast answers. No runaround.
Let's Chat
Name(Required)

Hear From Our Satisfied Customers

Delain Culpepper
3 days ago
All went well. Skyler made 3 recommendations for repairs. The cost is on my paperwork. Skyler did an outstanding inspection. No charge to me at this time on the 3 items. Will study and likely sccthedule this year.
Steve Petz
3 days ago
Carter showed up for our appointment on time. He was very personable and knowledgeable as to the work I needed done. He also provided me with an estimate for additional work replacing a breaker panel. I would recommend Carter for anyone looking to complete an upcoming project.
Richard Witter
3 days ago
Zeb was prompt and courteous. He showed what the problem was and discussed my options. Thank you for your help!
David Marquez
3 days ago
Jarred came on time and gave me a 30-minute phone call prior to that. When he came he listened to all my issues that I had with my outlets going out from start to finish. He then began to tell me what he will do and how he will troubleshoot from beginning to end. Did a very thorough job throughout the home, found the issues and told me what it was before he serviced. It. Also found another issue that was easily fixable for myself. Very great guy and talk some football while we were in the home as well
Christine Zella-Miller
3 days ago
Josh was friendly and professional. I felt comfortable with him in our home. Gave a detailed review with photos and informed us of concerns.
Nancy Miller
3 days ago
Wonderful experience with getting electrical information from Alejandro Caballero. He explained what was needed in a way we could understand easily. Will have work done on Tuesday.
Vonda Carter
4 days ago
Gary Conte Hammond came for my annual AC inspection. He was prompt, polite, friendly, and efficient. Highly recommend.
Lee W White
4 days ago
My technicians Joshua and Chris did a wonderful job upgrading my home’s “Main Electrical Panel”. They were both very professional, dedicated and courteous young men. Congratulations “WireNut” for employing such extraordinary talent people. Thanks.
Dianne Heid
4 days ago
Chance found and fixed my problem so fast! WireNut is lucky to have such a dedicated, motivated, intelligent person.
Becca BreeAnn
4 days ago
Brady, came out to give a quote on a pre purchase install. From the start he was very professional. He looked at the new condenser unit and evaporator I had purchased, proceeded with checking where my old unit was and where it ran to, verified the measurements were correct. He finished with the quote and walking me through the process of how the install appointment would go. I can honestly say it was the best experience I’ve had with having a company come out and give me a quote. I’ve decided to go with them for the install as he was very upfront and honest. I will definitely be using them again for any services, I may need in the future.
Mary Owens
4 days ago
We really appreciated Steven Storms’ flexibility and creativity at solving some unique issues. He’s the best electrical repair guy we have had in years. Steven Storms was friendly, professional, and efficient. We will definitely request him for any electrical needs in the future!
Abigail Gerlach
4 days ago
Alejandro is a thorough professional as well as being a very nice man and welcome in my home. He is a star!!!!!
Tadashi Hewston
4 days ago
Outstanding service! Thank you!
Heather Powell
4 days ago
The tech was really kind and super quick at our yearly warranty check-up. I received a call when he was on the way and a message to confirm the appointment 2 days and 1 day ahead. The warranty we paid for really has paid off and the company provides excellent customer service. They always have the tech out the same day we call. Also the tech stated that we needed a filter we didn't have and even offered to run to the store for me to purchase it and return to install it. He was very sweet. I highly recommend Wirenut home warranty services!!
Sean Pauley
4 days ago
The service went great. The tech, Andrew Riley, answered all of my questions and was a big help.
Harry Keller
4 days ago
We had a surge protector installed in our home. Josh Martinez was our electrician. He was everything you want - on time, polite, very organized, explained everything he was doing and he answered our questions in a clear straightforward way. Very efficient and timely. Outstanding service.
DJ
4 days ago
APR 2026 - We recently hd our Annual "Gas Furnace" Maintenance Inspection/Checkup/Cleaning done by KAMAL w/WIRENUT. KAMAL was GREAT! He arrived on time w/his large bag of tools/equipment, asked pertinent questions, & then got right to work. He was respectful, friendly, professional, & wore his booties too. For being younger, KAMAL was quite knowledgeable, seemed experienced in his field, & listened to my continued concerns/worries over my "newer" Furnace now, & also oxygen readouts since it was installed. He also briefly checked our furnace manual, added 2 more reading port checks on furnace, took pics of furnace/components, & offered a recommendation w/no sales pressure! Give KAMAL a try for ur next Furnace job & we think U will b satisfied too! P.S. - We're on WIRENUT's paid monthly Maintenance Plan; therefore, there was no cost for today's Service. Another Note - We've always hd RELIABLE service, communications, & other dealings w/all WIRENUT TECHS that hv come to our home to date. So far, WIRENUT seems to do a GREAT job in hiring the right experts/trusting people for whatever repair or project U might need. Give this longstanding company a chance...
Darkfanime
4 days ago
Mason Lucas explained things clearly and was very helpful throughout the process.

    Need Help? Give WireNut A Call!

    A broken system at home doesn’t just slow things down — it takes over. If the furnace won’t kick on, the water heater’s leaking, or your kitchen sink’s backed up — we’ll be there fast, and we’ll do it right. Our licensed, highly trained techs bring the skill, experience, and care to get the job done right the first time. No runaround. No surprises.