When it’s time to get a new furnace, there are a number of things you should assess before making a decision on a particular replacement furnace. With your house and your family’s needs in mind, Select Comfort Systems Heating & Air Conditioning can help you select the furnace that will keep your home warm and comfortable.
Fuel Source
One of the first things you need to decide is which fuel source your new furnace will use. The majority of furnaces in North America utilize 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 required for your new furnace.
Furnace Type
You’ll also want to determine which type of furnace you’d prefer to appropriately 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 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 increase on the chilly West Valley City days. Though if you want to go for the ultimate choice in flexibility and efficiency, a variable capacity furnace may be an ideal solution.
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 work at different capacities to meet your heating needs.
Zoning
Whether you want to factor in a zoning system with your replacement furnace is another thing to think about. You could save on your energy bills by more efficiently using your furnace to heat the areas you typically use, rather than trying to keep every room at the same temperature. If you want more to know more about zoning possibilities for your home, Select Comfort Systems Heating & Air Conditioning can help.
Size
Another important part of selecting the best furnace for your home is confirming it’s the correct 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 West Valley City 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 escapes 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, there’s a lot to consider when searching for a replacement furnace. But, we can help. Select Comfort Systems Heating & Air Conditioning 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 801-305-4777 or book an appointment with us online.