3 Things To Look For In A New Furnace
Posted on: 27 June 2018
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Investing in a new furnace is something you will probably have to do at least once over the lifetime of your home. That is, if you plan on staying at your property for over 20 years, your furnace will need to be replaced at least once. This is a substantial investment, but is one that offers the homeowner opportunity to modernize their system and bring it up to date.
Modern furnaces can produce more heat while using less electricity. They are more efficient and they save the homeowner money. Also, many modern furnaces can be partly powered using eco-friendly natural gases and alternative fuels. So, even though it is going to cost you a lot of money, you need to think of upgrading your furnace as an opportunity to reduce the monthly operational and utility costs of your home. Here are three things you should look for when shopping for a new furnace.
Fuel Type
The starting points is determining what kind of fuel will power your furnace. Even though many modern furnaces are hybrid (which means they use a combination of liquid fuel and electricity), they all need to be connected to some sort of fuel supply. The fuel supply is usually connected directly to the public utilities. However, you always have the option of having a fuel tank that stores your fuel. This is often necessary for remote properties in areas where public utilities are not provided.
So, before you even begin to shop for a new furnace, you need to call your public utility provider to ask what fuel types are available, and how much they cost. Usually, you will only have one option. Propane and natural gas are what most cities use these days.
AFUE
The next thing to look at is the AFUE (annual fuel utilization efficiency) rating. This rating basically tells you how much of the fuel that is burned can be converted to actual energy. The higher the percentage, the better. Don't buy anything that burns at less than 90% efficiency.
Furnace Capacity
The last thing you need to look at is the capacity of the unit. Make sure you buy a furnace that is able to circulate air through every square inch of your house. If the furnace doesn't have the capacity to produce enough airflow, it will heat your home unevenly. You will also need to run if for more hours, which is what ends up costing you the most cash.
To learn more, visit High Tech Heating & Air Conditioning Inc.