When it’s time to look for a new furnace, there are several things you should consider before making a decision on a particular replacement furnace. With your home and your family’s needs in mind, Temperature Doctors Heating & Cooling, Inc can help you find the furnace that will keep your home warm and comfy.
Fuel Source
One of the first aspects you need to think about is which fuel source your new furnace will use. The majority of furnaces in North America utilize natural gas, but some residences are set up to use liquified petroleum gas, propane or even electricity. It’s vital to know which type of fuel is needed for your new furnace.
Furnace Type
You’ll also want to decide which type of furnace you’d prefer to appropriately meet your needs. Furnaces are available in single-stage, two-stage or variable capacity models. A single-stage furnace blows heat consistently at one speed and isn’t the strongest in efficiency amid these options. A two-stage furnace works great for many homes. Stage one of a two-stage furnace runs at about 65 percent of its capacity, and stage two will kick in for a heating blast on the coldest Rockford days. However, if you want to go for the best choice in flexibility and efficiency, a variable capacity furnace may be an ideal solution.
Different from single- and two-stage models, variable capacity furnaces don’t have a specific number of stages to go through to deliver heat. A variable capacity furnace can actually operate at different capacities to reach your heating needs.
Zoning
Whether you want to factor in a zoning system with your replacement furnace is another thing to think about. You could save money by more efficiently using your furnace to heat the areas you regularly use, rather than trying to keep the entire home at the same temperature. If you want more information about zoning solutions for your home, Temperature Doctors Heating & Cooling, Inc can help.
Size
Another important part of selecting the best furnace for your home is confirming it’s the correct size for your home. If your furnace is too large for your home’s heating needs, it will waste a lot of energy incessantly cycling on and off. If your furnace is too small, it won’t be able to keep up on the coldest Rockford days.
Efficiency
Last, but certainly not least, you need to consider your furnace’s energy efficiency rating. A furnace’s efficiency is measured by annual fuel utilization efficiency (AFUE). This rating identifies the ratio of annual heat output of the furnace compared to the total annual fossil fuel energy it consumes. For example, an 80 percent AFUE rating means that 80 percent of energy in the fuel heats the home and the other 20 percent is lost through places like the furnace venting. For a high-efficiency furnace, you’ll want to look for an AFUE rating of 90 to 98.7 percent.
As you can see, it helps to do some research when shopping for a replacement furnace. But, you’re not in this alone. Temperature Doctors Heating & Cooling, Inc is here to answer all of your questions and help you find a furnace that matches your home and heating needs. Chat with our technicians at (815)914-6197 or arrange an appointment with us online.