When it’s time to get a new furnace, there are several things you should think about before making a judgement on a particular replacement furnace. With your house and your family’s needs in mind, Olde Towne Heating & Air can help you choose the furnace that will keep your home warm and comfy.
Fuel Source
One of the first factors you need to decide is which fuel source your new furnace will use. The majority of furnaces in North America run on natural gas, but some homes 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 consider which type of furnace you’d prefer to successfully meet your needs. Furnaces come 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 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 increase on the coldest Mount Pleasant days. But if you want to go for the best choice in flexibility and efficiency, a variable capacity furnace may be a good option.
Unlike single- and two-stage models, variable capacity furnaces don’t have a set number of stages to go through to deliver heat. A variable capacity furnace can actually work at different capacities to reach your heating needs.
Zoning
Whether you want to incorporate 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 entire home at the same temperature. If you want more to know more about zoning possibilities for your home, Olde Towne Heating & Air can help.
Size
Another critical part of selecting the best furnace for your home is confirming it’s the proper size for your house. 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 provide adequate heat on the coldest Mount Pleasant 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 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 escapes 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, there’s a lot to consider when shopping for a replacement furnace. But, you don’t have to tackle this by yourself. Olde Towne Heating & Air is here to answer all of your questions and help you find a furnace that fits your home and heating needs. Chat with our technicians at 843-485-0967 or book an appointment with us online.