Obie Comfort Solutions provides heating, cooling, and indoor air quality service throughout Newton, Massachusetts. That covers furnace and boiler repair, heat pump and ductless installation, central AC service, zoning, and ductwork across all thirteen villages. We have worked in MetroWest since 2006 with NATE-certified technicians, and we are a certified Mass Save partner.
Request service in Newton
Furnace down, top floor overheating, or weighing an oil conversion? Tell us what you need. It takes about 30 seconds.
HVAC Services We Provide in Newton
Furnace repair and replacement
Gas and oil furnace diagnostics, ignitor and flame sensor work, heat exchanger inspection, and full replacement. Most repairs run $150 to $650.
Boiler and steam heat service
Cast iron boilers, radiator systems, near-boiler piping, and steam balancing. Common in Newton homes built before 1940.
Heat pump and ductless installation
Cold-climate air source heat pumps and mini-splits, sized with a Manual J load calculation. Mass Save rebates up to $10,000 may apply.
Air conditioning
Central AC repair, replacement, and maintenance, plus ductless cooling for homes that never had ductwork.
Zoning and multi-story balancing
Zone control and system design for larger homes where upper floors overheat in summer and run cold in winter.
Indoor air quality
Whole-home filtration, humidifiers and dehumidifiers, ERV and HRV ventilation, and carbon monoxide detection.
What HVAC Work in Newton Actually Involves
Newton has one of the older and more architecturally varied housing stocks in eastern Massachusetts. That shapes nearly every job here, and three patterns account for most of the calls we take.
Large homes running on a single zone
Many Newton houses are two and three stories with substantial square footage, and a lot of them still run on one thermostat. The result is predictable: the top floor bakes in July while the first floor is comfortable, and the same floor runs cold in January. Adding capacity does not fix this. Zoning does, either through zone dampers on an existing duct system or by adding a ductless head to serve the problem floor independently.
Hydronic heat with no ductwork for cooling
A large share of Newton homes heat with hot water radiators or steam. These systems work well and often have decades of life left, but they leave no path for central air conditioning. Retrofitting ductwork into a finished older home is invasive and expensive. Ductless mini-splits solve it without tearing into plaster, which is why they have become the standard answer for cooling here.
Oil systems and conversion decisions
Oil heat remains common across Newton, and homeowners regularly ask whether to convert. The honest answer depends on the age of the tank and burner, the condition of the chimney liner, and whether gas service reaches the street. In many cases the better move is not oil to gas at all, but oil to a cold-climate heat pump, which is where Massachusetts incentives are concentrated. We will run the numbers on all three paths rather than assume one.
Heat Pumps and Mass Save Rebates in Newton
Massachusetts offers some of the strongest heat pump incentives in the country, and Newton homeowners qualify statewide.
| Incentive | Typical value | Applies to |
|---|---|---|
| Mass Save whole-home heat pump rebate | Up to $10,000 | Heat pump as primary heating source |
| Mass Save partial rebate | Varies | Heat pump paired with existing furnace or boiler |
| Federal 25C tax credit | 30%, up to $2,000 | Qualifying ENERGY STAR heat pumps |
| Mass Save HEAT Loan | 0% interest financing | Qualifying efficiency upgrades |
Rebate amounts and eligibility change, and most require a no-cost Home Energy Assessment before installation. As a Mass Save partner we coordinate that assessment and handle the paperwork. Full detail on the Mass Save rebates page.
Heating and Cooling Demands in Newton
Newton sits in a climate that pushes equipment hard in both directions. Winters run cold enough that undersized heating shows up on the first hard night, and summers bring humid stretches that a system sized only for temperature handles poorly.
- Heat pumps need cold-climate ratings. Standard models lose capacity well before a New England January bottoms out. Cold-climate units hold rated output far lower, which is what makes them viable as primary heat rather than a shoulder-season supplement.
- Humidity control matters as much as cooling. An oversized air conditioner cools quickly and shuts off before pulling moisture out, leaving rooms cold and damp. Correct sizing beats extra capacity every time.
- Older envelopes change the math. A house with original windows and minimal wall insulation has a very different load than the same square footage built recently. Sizing off square footage alone is how systems end up oversized.
Serving All Thirteen Newton Villages
We provide service across Newton, including Newton Centre, Newtonville, West Newton, Auburndale, Waban, Chestnut Hill, Newton Corner, Nonantum, Newton Highlands, Newton Upper Falls, Newton Lower Falls, Oak Hill, and Thompsonville.
Why Newton Homeowners Call Obie
- Serving MetroWest since 2006. Nearly two decades in this housing stock.
- NATE-certified technicians. The industry standard for HVAC competency.
- Certified Mass Save partner. We manage the rebate process rather than just pointing you to it.
- Same-day service available for no-heat and no-cooling calls.
- Second opinions. If another contractor quoted a replacement, we will tell you honestly whether a repair still makes sense.
Areas We Serve Around Newton
Along with Newton, we serve Watertown, Belmont, Waltham, Wellesley, and communities across MetroWest Massachusetts. See the full service area map.
Talk to a technician about your Newton home
Want a second opinion on a quote, or the real numbers on oil versus heat pump? We will run all the options.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you offer emergency HVAC service in Newton?
Yes. We provide same-day service for no-heat and no-cooling calls throughout Newton. Call 508-233-8563. After-hours calls typically carry an additional charge of $100 to $200.
How much does furnace repair cost in Newton?
Most furnace repairs in Newton run $150 to $650, with the median service call near $350. Flame sensor and ignitor jobs sit at the low end, blower motors and gas valves at the high end. A heat exchanger replacement runs $1,500 to $3,500.
Can I add air conditioning to a Newton home with radiator heat?
Yes, and you do not need to install ductwork. Ductless mini-splits require only a three-inch wall penetration, which makes them well suited to older Newton homes heated by steam or hot water. A single outdoor unit can serve several indoor heads.
Why is the top floor of my Newton house so much hotter in summer?
Usually because the whole house runs on one zone. Heat rises, and a single thermostat on the first floor shuts the system off before the upper floor catches up. The fix is zoning or a dedicated ductless head for that floor, not a larger system.
Should I convert my Newton home from oil to gas?
It depends on tank and burner age, chimney liner condition, and whether gas service reaches your street. In many cases converting to a cold-climate heat pump makes more financial sense than oil to gas, because Massachusetts incentives are concentrated there. We evaluate all three options before recommending one.
Do Newton homeowners qualify for Mass Save rebates?
Yes. Mass Save incentives are available statewide, including Newton. Whole-home heat pump rebates reach $10,000 and the federal 25C tax credit adds up to $2,000. Most rebates require a no-cost Home Energy Assessment first.
