When it’s time to look for a new furnace, there are a number of things you should think about before making a judgement on a particular replacement furnace. With your home and your family’s needs in mind, McFadden Heating & Cooling can help you find the furnace that will keep your home warm and comfy.
Fuel Source
One of the first factors 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 homes are set up to use liquified petroleum gas, propane or even electricity. It’s important to know which type of fuel is required for your new furnace.
Furnace Type
You’ll also want to consider which type of furnace you’d prefer to effectively 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 within these options. A two-stage furnace works well 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 frigid Dresden days. Though if you want to go for the ultimate choice in flexibility and efficiency, a variable capacity furnace may be an ideal solution.
In contrast to single- and two-stage models, variable capacity furnaces don’t have a certain number of stages to go through to provide heat. A variable capacity furnace can actually run at different capacities to meet your heating needs.
Zoning
Whether you want to include a zoning system with your replacement furnace is another thing to think about. You could save on your energy bills by more efficiently using your furnace to heat the areas you typically use, rather than trying to keep the whole house at the same temperature. If you want more to know more about zoning possibilities for your home, McFadden Heating & Cooling can help.
Size
Another critical part of selecting the best furnace for your home is confirming it’s the correct size for your house. If your furnace is too large for your home’s heating needs, it will waste a lot of energy continuously cycling on and off. If your furnace is too small, it won’t be able to warm your home on the coldest Dresden days.
Efficiency
Last, but certainly not least, you need to consider your furnace’s energy efficiency rating. A furnace’s efficiency is determined by annual fuel utilization efficiency (AFUE). This rating signifies 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 gets out through places like the furnace venting. In order to have a high-efficiency furnace, make sure to find a system with an AFUE rating of 90 to 98.7 percent.
As you can see, it helps to do some research when looking for a replacement furnace. But, you’re not in this alone. McFadden Heating & Cooling is here to answer all of your questions and help you choose a furnace that suits your home and heating needs. Just give us a call at 1-866-781-0111 or book an appointment with us online.