When it’s time to replace your furnace, there are many things you should assess before making a judgement on a particular replacement furnace. With your house and your family’s needs in mind, Anderson Heating & A/C can help you select the furnace that will keep your home warm and cozy.
Fuel Source
One of the first factors you need to consider is which fuel source your new furnace will use. The majority of furnaces in North America use 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 needed 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 continually 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 works at about 65 percent of its capacity, and stage two will kick in for a heating increase on the coldest Carson City days. However, if you want to go for the greatest choice in flexibility and efficiency, a variable capacity furnace may be an ideal solution.
Different from single- and two-stage models, variable capacity furnaces don’t have a set number of stages to go through to deliver heat. A variable capacity furnace can actually run at different capacities to answer your heating needs.
Zoning
Whether you want to factor in a zoning system with your replacement furnace is another feature to discuss. You could save on your energy bills by more efficiently using your furnace to heat the areas you normally use, rather than trying to keep every room at the same temperature. If you want more details about zoning solutions for your home, Anderson Heating & A/C can help.
Size
Another key part of choosing the best furnace for your home is confirming it’s the right size for your house. If your furnace is too large for your home’s heating needs, it will waste a lot of energy continuously cycling on and off. If your furnace is too small, it won’t be able to warm your home on the coldest Carson City days.
Efficiency
Last, but certainly not least, you need to consider your furnace’s energy efficiency rating. A furnace’s efficiency is measured 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 gets out 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, there’s a lot to consider when shopping for a replacement furnace. But, we can help. Anderson Heating & A/C is here to answer all of your questions and help you find a furnace that suits your home and heating needs. Just give us a call at 775-230-7628 or book an appointment with us online.