When it’s time to replace your furnace, there are many things you should consider before making a judgement on a particular replacement furnace. With your home and your family’s needs in mind, Air Alliance Team can help you select the furnace that will keep your home warm and comfy.
Fuel Source
One of the first things you need to consider is which fuel source your new furnace will use. The majority of furnaces in North America utilize natural gas, but some houses 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 determine which type of furnace you’d prefer to successfully meet your needs. Furnaces are offered 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 coldest Ballwin and St. Charles days. However, if you want to go for the ultimate choice in flexibility and efficiency, a variable capacity furnace may be a good option.
Unlike 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 operate 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 typically use, rather than trying to keep every room at the same temperature. If you want more details about zoning solutions for your home, Air Alliance Team can help.
Size
Another critical part of selecting the best furnace for your home is confirming it’s the right 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 warm your home on the coldest Ballwin and St. Charles days.
Efficiency
Last, but certainly not least, you need to check your furnace’s energy efficiency rating. A furnace’s efficiency is calculated by annual fuel utilization efficiency (AFUE). This rating signifies 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. 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 looking for a replacement furnace. But, you’re not in this alone. Air Alliance Team is here to answer all of your questions and help you choose a furnace that fits your home and heating needs. Just give us a call at 636-206-4250 or book an appointment with us online.