When it’s time to get a new furnace, there are many things you should assess before making a conclusion on a particular replacement furnace. With your home and your family’s needs in mind, Wolfe & Sons Heating and Cooling can help you choose the furnace that will keep your home warm and comfortable.
Fuel Source
One of the first aspects 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 homes are set up to use liquified petroleum gas, propane or even electricity. It’s important to know which type of fuel is necessary for your new furnace.
Furnace Type
You’ll also want to consider which type of furnace you’d prefer to appropriately meet your needs. Furnaces are available 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 among 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 boost on the frigid Columbus days. Though if you want to go for the best choice in flexibility and efficiency, a variable capacity furnace may be right for you.
Different from single- and two-stage models, variable capacity furnaces don’t have a certain number of stages to go through to provide heat. A variable capacity furnace can actually run at different capacities to answer your heating needs.
Zoning
Whether you want to incorporate 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 normally use, rather than trying to keep the whole house at the same temperature. If you want more information about zoning options for your home, Wolfe & Sons Heating and Cooling can help.
Size
Another critical part of picking the best furnace for your home is ensuring it’s the proper 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 warm your home on the coldest Columbus days.
Efficiency
Last, but certainly not least, you need to check your furnace’s energy efficiency rating. A furnace’s efficiency is determined 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 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, it helps to do some research when shopping for a replacement furnace. But, you’re not in this alone. Wolfe & Sons Heating and Cooling is here to answer all of your questions and help you choose a furnace that matches your home and heating needs. Contact our experts at 614-451-0846 or schedule an appointment with us online.