In order to select the most efficient, cost-effective heating system for years to come, when you’re shopping for a furnace, consider these seven options, rather than simply the initial price:
- Size: A too-small furnace will not properly heat your home, but a too-large unit will cycle on and off more often, causing uneven temperatures in your home and more wear on the system. Choose a certified HVAC contractor to perfor
m an energy evaluation of your home who adheres to industry standards.
- Ignition system: The new Direct Spark Ignition (DSI), Intermittent Ignition Device (IID), and Hot Surface Ignition (HIS) systems no longer incorporate a continuously burning pilot light. Instead, these more efficient ignition systems light the pilot only when heat is needed.
- Variable-speed blower combined with variable heat output: A variable-speed blower can adjust its speed according to temperature demands in your home, and usually runs at a slower, more continuous speed. This reduces unwanted temperature fluctuations. Combined with variable heat output, which conveys heat that adjusts automatically between at least two levels, these furnace features lead to a more efficient unit overall.
- Zoned heating: Smart thermostats and an innovative central controller allow you to convey heat to different zones in your home at varying temperatures – important in larger homes, but also when heating requirements vary (a cool finished basement and warmer upstairs rooms).
- Dual heat exchanger: Because it draws more heat from the burning gas by supplementing the primary exchanger with a second unit, a dual heat exchanger is more energy efficient.
- Air filter: Both a high-efficiency particulate arresting (HEPA) filter or an electrostatic filter will reduce the dust and allergens in your heating system. The higher Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV) a filter is assigned, the smaller the air particles it will trap. A good rule of thumb in a home without special air quality requirements is to balance a filter’s ability to maintain air quality with proper airflow.
- Warranty: High-efficiency furnace systems usually are backed by better warranties than those covering lower-efficiency units.
The next time you’re shopping for a furnace in the Twin Cities Metro Area, visit the NATE-certified professionals at Marsh Heating & Air Conditioning.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about furnaces and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
Image courtesy of Shutterstock