What You Should Think About When Replacing Your Furnace

February 26, 2019

When it’s time to look for a new furnace, there are many things you should assess before making a decision on a particular replacement furnace. With your house and your family’s needs in mind, Fleming Heating & Air Conditioning Inc can help you select the furnace that will keep your home warm and comfortable.

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 use natural gas, but some houses are set up to use liquified petroleum gas, propane or even electricity. It’s important to know which type of fuel is necessary for your new furnace.

Furnace Type
You’ll also want to consider which type of furnace you’d prefer to successfully meet your needs. Furnaces are offered in single-stage, two-stage or variable capacity models. A single-stage furnace blows heat continually at one speed and isn’t the strongest in efficiency within these options. A two-stage furnace is a good fit for many homes. Stage one of a two-stage furnace operates at about 65 percent of its capacity, and stage two will kick in for a heating boost on the coldest South Beloit and Belvidere days. Though if you want to go for the ultimate choice in flexibility and efficiency, a variable capacity furnace may be right for you.

In contrast to single- and two-stage models, variable capacity furnaces don’t have a set number of stages to go through to create heat. A variable capacity furnace can actually operate at different capacities to answer your heating needs.

Zoning
Whether you want to factor in a zoning system with your replacement furnace is another consideration. You could save money by more efficiently using your furnace to heat the areas you regularly use, rather than trying to keep the whole house at the same temperature. If you want more to know more about zoning options for your home, Fleming Heating & Air Conditioning Inc can help.

Size
Another critical part of picking the best furnace for your home is confirming it’s the right size for your house. If your furnace is too large for your home’s heating needs, it will waste a lot of energy constantly cycling on and off. If your furnace is too small, it won’t be able to keep up on the coldest South Beloit and Belvidere days.

Efficiency
Last, but certainly not least, you need to check your furnace’s energy efficiency rating. A furnace’s efficiency is calculated 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 is lost 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, many factors come into play when searching for a replacement furnace. But, you don’t have to tackle this by yourself. Fleming Heating & Air Conditioning Inc is here to answer all of your questions and help you select a furnace that suits your home and heating needs. Chat with our technicians at 877-389-2465 or arrange an appointment with us online.