Video · Furnaces and Heating
How Long Does It Take to Replace a Furnace? A Basement Time-Lapse
Most straightforward furnace replacements fit in one working day. New venting, ductwork changes or a cramped basement add time. This time-lapse squeezes hours of that day into about a minute and a half.
Job footageSwiftPro
- Topic
- Furnaces and Heating
- Length
- 1:34
- Posted
- May 2, 2026
- Shot by
- The SwiftPro crew, Northern Virginia
What you’re seeing in this video
It opens on the old furnace in an unfinished basement, a humidifier hanging off its side and drop cloths already spread across the floor. That's step one on any replacement day: protect the house before anything gets unbolted.
Then the speed kicks in. The old cabinet comes apart and out, and a tech in a black shirt and khakis works from a step ladder with a torch kit set up nearby. The torch is usually for brazing the copper refrigerant lines at the AC coil, which get joined with heat, not screwed together.
The finish is a new Rheem furnace standing where the old one was, with fresh sheet metal for the plenum on top and a condensate pump at its base to move drain water to where it can go.
Why it matters in your house
- Plan for the heat to be off most of the day. Replacing before the old furnace dies lets you pick that day instead of waiting on a cold night.
- Time grows with changes. Switching from an 80% to a 90% furnace means new PVC venting and a drain, and resizing means new sheet metal. A good estimate tells you which applies before the day starts.
- Ask who checks the work at the end: gas pressure, temperature rise across the furnace and the safety controls. That last hour matters as much as the tear-out.
Will I be without heat all day during a furnace replacement?
For most of the day, yes. The old furnace has to come out before the new one goes in, and the gas, power and ductwork get reconnected and tested at the end. Most homes have heat back by evening. If venting or ductwork changes are part of the plan, ask up front whether it could stretch into a second day.
Want it done at your place? See Furnaces and Heating at SwiftPro or call (703) 997-9757.
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