When it’s time to replace your furnace, there are several things you should think about before making a decision on a particular replacement furnace. With your home and your family’s needs in mind, H & H Service Company can help you choose the furnace that will keep your home warm and comfy.
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 run on natural gas, but some residences are set up to use liquified petroleum gas, propane or even electricity. It’s vital to know which type of fuel is needed for your new furnace.
Furnace Type
You’ll also want to consider which type of furnace you’d prefer to successfully meet your needs. Furnaces come 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 among these options. A two-stage furnace works well for many homes. Stage one of a two-stage furnace runs at about 65 percent of its capacity, and stage two will kick in for a heating blast on the chilly Mechanicsburg days. But if you want to go for the best choice in flexibility and efficiency, a variable capacity furnace may be right for you.
Unlike single- and two-stage models, variable capacity furnaces don’t have a specific number of stages to go through to deliver heat. A variable capacity furnace can actually work at different capacities to meet your heating needs.
Zoning
Whether you want to include a zoning system with your replacement furnace is another thing to think about. You could save money 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 information about zoning solutions for your home, H & H Service Company can help.
Size
Another important part of selecting the best furnace for your home is confirming it’s the correct size for your space. 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 provide adequate heat on the coldest Mechanicsburg days.
Efficiency
Last, but certainly not least, you need to consider your furnace’s energy efficiency rating. A furnace’s efficiency is calculated 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, it helps to do some research when shopping for a replacement furnace. But, you don’t have to tackle this by yourself. H & H Service Company is here to answer all of your questions and help you find a furnace that fits your home and heating needs. Just give us a call at 717-220-4502 or book an appointment with us online.