When it’s time to replace your furnace, there are several things you should consider before making a decision on a particular replacement furnace. With your house and your family’s needs in mind, B & B Heating & Cooling can help you find the furnace that will keep your home warm and comfy.
Fuel Source
One of the first aspects you need to decide is which fuel source your new furnace will use. The majority of furnaces in North America use 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 necessary for your new furnace.
Furnace Type
You’ll also want to determine 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 constantly at one speed and isn’t the strongest in efficiency amid these options. A two-stage furnace is a good fit for many homes. Stage one of a two-stage furnace works at about 65 percent of its capacity, and stage two will kick in for a heating blast on the chilly Florissant days. Though if you want to go for the best choice in flexibility and efficiency, a variable capacity furnace may be a good option.
In contrast to single- and two-stage models, variable capacity furnaces don’t have a set number of stages to go through to provide heat. A variable capacity furnace can actually operate at different capacities to reach your heating needs.
Zoning
Whether you want to incorporate a zoning system with your replacement furnace is another feature to discuss. You could save costs by more efficiently using your furnace to heat the areas you normally use, rather than trying to keep the whole house at the same temperature. If you want more to know more about zoning solutions for your home, B & B Heating & Cooling can help.
Size
Another critical part of picking the best furnace for your home is ensuring it’s the right 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 provide adequate heat on the coldest Florissant days.
Efficiency
Last, but certainly not least, you need to review your furnace’s energy efficiency rating. A furnace’s efficiency is determined by annual fuel utilization efficiency (AFUE). This rating represents 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 searching for a replacement furnace. But, you don’t have to tackle this by yourself. B & B Heating & Cooling is here to answer all of your questions and help you choose a furnace that fits your home and heating needs. Just give us a call at 314-325-7552 or arrange an appointment with us online.