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

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Hear From Our Satisfied Customers

Paul Dyer
4 days ago
We recently had three chandeliers and three wall sconces installed. Although the bid pricing was more than we expected, our technician Bobby Cornelius was excellent. He did try to apply all discounts possible to alleviate our initial stick shock. From the moment he arrived, Bobby’s warm & engaging personality gave us confidence with our lighting project. His quality of work was outstanding! Bobby went out of his way to guide us through the process which helped greatly with our positioning decisions. Through each step of this project, he was quick with his clean up. He was knowledgeable, thorough, and provided effective communications. Bobby is a shining star for WireNut Home Services. Thank you very much!
Martin Bischoff
4 days ago
Fixed the problem. Great knowledge and I learned some things.
Brad Williams
4 days ago
Franco from Wirenut was incredibly knowledgeable and fun to talk to while he was working. Excellent experience.
Richard Sweeten
4 days ago
Jeff did an outstanding job moving a water line when our new smart toilet wouldn’t fit. He not only moved the line in record time but went ahead and installed the toilet too. Polite and conscientious, everything about the job was first class. I’ve been very happy with WireNut and their services.
Lain Chappell
4 days ago
Great job and customer service taking care of our furnace. Jusyin and the Wire Nut Team were very professional. Thank you.
Terri Butler
5 days ago
Gary, was very helpful and informative!!!
Ronald Martinez
5 days ago
Frankie Vargas did an exceptional and professional job. He was cordial and provided my wife and I with a detailed explanation of what needed to be done. Having done that he then explained what his work entailed and provided all the possible options for preventing future problems. We are more than satisfied with his work and we look forward to future work from him and your company. Thank you Wire Nut for the caliber of personnel you employ enhancing your profile as company and adding more satisfied customers to your list. Sincerely, Ron & Rosie Martinez
Zachary Grant
5 days ago
I recently hired Wirenut out of Pueblo Colorado, to replace multiple circuit breaker panels and every switch and outlet throughout my home. From start to finish, their team was incredibly professional, organized, and thorough. They kept me informed at every stage of the project, explained what they were doing in clear terms, and worked efficiently to get everything done on schedule. What impressed me most was how they handled a few tricky electrical issues I couldn’t solve on my own — they diagnosed and corrected them quickly and made sure everything met code and functioned perfectly before wrapping up. The quality of their work and attention to detail really shows throughout the house. I highly recommend Wirenut to anyone needing dependable, knowledgeable electricians who truly care about their craft.
raymond hernandez
5 days ago
Josiah was on time, professional, courteous and answered my questions thoroughly. I was very satisfied.
Margaret Hartzler
5 days ago
Kamal, Professional, to the point, answered all questions and friendly. Will request him again.
chandra anderson
5 days ago
Gary was fantastic to work with. He genuinely cares for his customers and takes pride in his work. He talks with you not at you, addresses concerns, works efficiently and cleanly. We will request him anytime we have a plumbing issue. Thank you so much Gary B.
Deb K
5 days ago
Very informative, caring, kind, went over everything and showed me what needed to be completed. Excellent service
Phil L
5 days ago
Sophia. did Excellent work on water heater flush and check up. Very friendly and Professional. Thank You
Julia Davis
5 days ago
Thank you Tristan for providing me with a professional 'new eye' on kitchen rebuild contractor notes. Your visit greatly helped me to make the best informed decision. Also, just a pleasant human being. I always appreciate the kindness as much as the abilities and product knowledge. Kindest Regards, The Davis'
Stacey McMullen
5 days ago
Trevor Robinson was my technician for my bi-annual heating inspection and suggested i might like to have a humidifier added to the heating system, and since we were already using modular humidifiers and WireNuts price and as always their warranties are very reasonable, so I decided to get it and I'm very pleased with the results. I could tell a difference in the air within an hour. As dry as Colorado is, especially in the winter I highly recommend WireNut and heating humidifiers. Ask for Trevor Robinson for all of your hvac needs. Trevor is knowledgeable and professional. Trevor was polite, helpful, and is a great customer service representative.
Diane Shelley
5 days ago
Very respectful and informative....Yes he is all that. Very personable and friendly too.
Frank Camarillo
5 days ago
These technicians are very good at their skill set, Brian was very professional and well trained.

    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.