How To Choose the Best Furnace for Your Home

Table of Contents

1. Consider What You Currently Have
2. Consider Your Fuel Source
3. Choose the Best Furnace
4. Consider Efficiency
5. Modulating Heat Furnace or Single Stage?
6. Plan for the Future
7. Hidden Costs
8. Additional Features
9. Final Thoughts

Installing a heating system in your home can be one of the best – but also one of the most expensive – decisions you will ever make. However, it is possible to buy a furnace that’s right for the job without breaking your budget.

A furnace heats your home using different fuel types, usually electricity or natural gas. Gas and electric furnaces are the most common on the market today. While gas is usually the least expensive option, electric furnaces are easier to install.

If you are in the market for a new furnace, here are some ideas for choosing the best one for your budget.

A furnace will keep your family warm during the cold months.

Consider What You Currently Have

The best way to determine what size your new furnace should be is to compare it with the specifications of your current one. If it admits sufficient heat, you can consider a furnace of the same size.

You must install a furnace that heats your home sufficiently but also doesn’t cost you the money you don’t need to spend. You may need the help of professionals like jakservices.com/furnace-repair/ to help you choose the right furnace for your house.

Consider Your Fuel Source

If you need to watch your expenses, you should give careful thought to which fuel source you’re going to use. Electric furnaces are cleaner, and most users will probably prefer them. However, gas is cheaper and you will reduce your energy consumption and costs. Gas furnaces also provide higher power efficiency than, for example, oil furnaces. They are also cheaper and easier to install than an oil furnace.

If you live in an area where the winters are extremely cold and long, buying a modulating gas furnace will save you money. They are more expensive than normal gas furnaces, but the heat output can be adjusted very precisely.

Choose the Best Furnace

If gas is not available in your area, an oil furnace will do fine. Electric furnaces cost more to operate in the long run, and they’re not as efficient for large homes. Coal is cheaper than all the other types of fuels, but carbon monoxide poisoning can be deadly. A coal furnace will also leave behind soot and it’s not environmentally friendly.

Make sure that you choose a furnace with two-stage valves that control the flow of fuel. When you turn on the furnace it will run high and then on a lower flow to maintain the desired temperature.

Consider Efficiency

If you want a furnace with high energy efficiency, you need to look at the AFUE (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency) while you are shopping for a furnace. A high-energy efficiency furnace will also help you decrease your monthly energy bills.

However, your house must be adequately insulated for your heating system to save you money, otherwise, the heat being admitted will only go to waste. Remember that a furnace with sealed combustion is more energy-efficient and will protect your house from carbon monoxide leaks.

Finally, don’t forget about your filter. A furnace blows dust particles into the air, which can affect members of your family who suffer from allergies, asthma, or lung-related problems. To solve this problem, you should fit your furnace with an electrostatic filter to improve air quality and your unit’s efficiency. It’s a good idea to get a filter to improve the air quality in your house, even if no one in the household suffers from health problems.

Modulating Heat Furnace or Single Stage?

You also need to think about how many stages you want your furnace to have. Three options are available.

• Single-stage: This type of furnace has only one size flame that is either on or off. Its thermostat is usually not very precise. Since it has only one flame setting, it will turn on and off as the temperature changes. This is the most affordable type of furnace.
• Multi-stage: This furnace has a smaller flame for mild weather and a large one for cold weather. Its thermostat is more precise than that of the single-stage heat furnace.
• Modulating: This is the most accurate furnace as it’s able to control the size of the flame to melt the thermostat’s established temperature. It will keep your house’s temperature exactly where you want it.

Plan for the Future

If you have an old furnace, plan to have it replaced. This gives you time to look around for the best deals.

Also, consider the warranty that comes with your unit. More expensive models have longer warranties that cover more. Make sure you check the manufacturer and HVAC installer warranties, as they can have different terms.

Hidden Costs

Before you decide on a new furnace, get a licensed HVAC technician to test if your house’s ductwork system can handle a furnace with more blowing power. The furnace needs ductwork to transfer the heat.

If you are already having problems with your older furnace, the technician will be able to tell you if the ductwork was properly installed or if there are any leaks or blockages.

Additional Features

It’s worth spending money on additional features if you want your furnace to work well for years to come.

• Buy a furnace with two valves, as they control the flow of the fuel. The furnace will run high if the first one is turned on and will then keep the desired temperature at a lower flow.
• If you buy a more expensive model furnace, the more comprehensive warranty will give you more security and greater peace of mind. It’s better to have a longer warranty on the heat exchangers.

Final Thoughts

Even if you’ve done a lot of research about the heating system that will be best for your home, it is still a good idea to get input from a technician who is experienced at installing and repairing heating systems. They have excellent knowledge of what works best across a wide range of homes.

Thank you for reading!