An old furnace can be a pain to deal with, especially when it comes to repairs or energy costs. If you want improved efficiency and comfort from your home’s HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) system, a new furnace is the way to go. However, you should consider furnace replacement if your current furnace is more than 15 years old, or if your unit requires frequent and expensive repairs. Remember that aging furnaces can quickly rob your home of its energy efficiency, and cause your monthly energy bills to soar.
Size matters
It is important to select the right size furnace for your home. If your furnace replacement is too small, it won’t be able to adequately maintain your home’s climate. Oversized furnaces will waste energy and cause accelerated component wear due to frequent system cycling. Only a reputable HVAC contractor can safely determine the right size furnace for your home, taking into consideration your home’s size, design, construction and outside climate, as well as factors such as how many people live in your home.
Features to consider
When you’re in the market for a new furnace, there are an array of features that you might want to consider that can help increase your overall furnace efficiency and provide a higher level of comfort for you and your loved ones. These features include:
- Electronic burner ignition: Ignites the gas burner, as opposed to older furnaces that use a pilot light.
- Variable-speed blowers: Enables you to adjust the furnace blower’s fan speed and air flow for maximum comfort.
- Variable heat output: Works with variable-speed blowers to adjust the heat automatically that the furnace delivers.
- HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filtration: Prevents harmful airborne bacteria from entering your home’s air.
- Zoned heating: Enables you to control heating in different zones that you establish in your home.
Efficiency Ratings
Furnace manufacturers use an AFUE (annual fuel utilization efficiency) rating to translate efficiency gains into numbers homeowners can understand. The percentage numbers correspond to how much heat the furnace produces versus how much energy it consumes. New furnaces must have an AFUE of at least 78 percent, and some boast efficiency ratings as high as 97 percent.
If you’re considering purchasing a new furnace, contact the experts at Marsh Heating & Air Conditioning. We’ll take care of all of your HVAC needs, and have been serving residential and commercial customers in the Twin Cities area since 1974.
Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about furnace replacement and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
Marsh Heating and Air Conditioning services Minnesota’s Twin Cities. Visit our website to see our special offers and get started today!