3 Tips for Choosing a New Furnace This Fall
As fall approaches, many people find themselves thinking more and more about their heating systems. If you have a furnace that is old or in need of major repair, you may find yourself also thinking about a replacement. Early fall is the best time to replace your furnace – before the snow flies!
Of course, the first thing you’ve got to do is choose the right heating system! This will require a bit of research so that you make the right decision. Below are three considerations that will help you choose a new furnace that will perfectly suit your needs.
Consider High-Efficiency
The Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE) is the efficiency label given to furnaces. Furnaces are rated on the amount of heat they emit. So, a furnace with a 90 percent AFUE is one that converts 90 percent of the furnace’s fuel into heat. This is indicative of a high-efficiency furnace. A high-efficiency unit will cost more upfront, but will save you more in the long run.
They cost less to operate on a monthly basis and use less energy to emit the same amount of heat as low-efficiency furnaces. You may, however, want to consider the time it takes for this purchase to “payoff.” The more efficient a furnace, the more it costs, so the payoff period for some high-efficiency units will be longer than others.
Consider the Price
Obviously, price matters when it comes to purchasing a furnace. But, there are a couple of ways to save money on your purchase and installation.
- Negotiate: Believe it or not, you can negotiate the final sales price of a furnace. You can use a furnace price guide to find the actual prices of certain brands and units. It will help you find that middle ground that is needed when buying a furnace.
- Buy during the fall: Fall is one of the best times to purchase a furnace. During the fall, some manufacturers are more apt to provide incentives for purchasing their products. These incentives include receiving cash-back upon installation and low-interest financing. Canada also offers financing incentives and rebates for the purchase of energy-efficient furnaces.
Consider the Size
The size of your furnace definitely matters, too. A furnace with a capacity that is too high for your home will send your energy bills through the roof and cost more to operate than an appropriately sized unit. This happens because high-capacity furnaces have a tendency to cycle on and off often. A high-efficiency unit that cycles on and off constantly is actually less efficient than a unit that runs constantly.
In order to figure out the correct size unit for your home, you must have the contractor perform a load calculation . This calculation takes into account the size of your home, the amount of insulation in the roof, windows, and walls, and many other factors to determine the size of the unit you should purchase.
If you need to purchase a new furnace before the colder months, contact us for more information on the high quality heating systems we sell and install.