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Five Tips to Buy New Furnace
Know Your Fuel Source
Typically, you don’t get to choose your home’s heating fuel source: you either have a natural gas lines, propane tank, oil tank, or you only have electricity.Home furnaces connect to a single fuel source, and oil furnaces and gas furnaces work a little differently. Natural gas furnaces are the most energy efficient, and oil furnaces are second-most efficient.
Choose a High Efficiency Furnace (AFUE):
In home furnaces, energy efficiency is measured in AFUE percentage. That stands for Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency. Your furnace’s AFUE percentage tells you how much of the fuel is converted to heat. The higher the AFUE, the more of a high efficiency furnace you have. Choosing energy efficiency is a green choice in two ways. Efficiency isn’t only environmentally sound; it also saves some green dollar bills on energy costs.Gas furnaces generally have the highest energy efficiency, with anything over a 95 percent AFUE being extremely good. With oil furnaces, any AFUE rating over 80 percent is very good.
Besides fuel type, another big contributor to AFUE is the type of blower or fan on your home furnace. A variable speed fan operates less expensively than a single speed fan, and it allows furnaces to heat for less by gently blowing comfortable warm air rather than blasting jets of hot air. A variable speed fan also keeps temperature swings to a minimum.And you can maximize the airflow from the fan by sticking to a regular filter replacement schedule. If you have a variable speed fan, you can operate in constant fan mode to stay comfortable in your whole home and also save on heating and cooling costs.
For every $100 spent this winter running an 80% AFUE furnace, you can save money by upgrading to a more energy efficient furnace. How much could you save?
- For Every $100 Spent Heating:
- 80% AFUE (baseline) — Save: $0
- 80% AFUE with Variable Speed Fan — Save: $13
- 90% AFUE Save: — $16
- 95% AFUE Save: — $23
3. Consider Health and Air Quality
If allergies and asthma are issues for your family, upgrading to a home furnace with an optional air filter or air purifier may help lessen some symptoms. Air purifiers can remove allergens such as pet dander, mold and any pollen still lingering from the spring. The best air cleaners can also remove viruses and other microscopic organisms as small as 0.1 microns. Finding a unit that both traps and kills these organisms adds an additional level of air quality.
And if your family wants to avoid static electricity shocks for the winter, you’ll want a home furnace system with an optional humidifier that intelligently monitors air moisture.Use of a ventilator can also add prefiltered fresh air into your home with minimal effect on heating efficiency.
4. Consider Furnace Brand and Reliability
Look for a furnace brand with longevity, stability and reliability. When it’s 10 below outside, keeping your family warm in the winter is a safety matter. So be sure to look for a company with a long history of durability. Chances are, that company has invested in innovation and technology that makes their furnaces safe, reliable and energy efficient.
5. Find Trained, Local HVAC Dealers and Technicians:
When choosing a home furnace, you’re also choosing that company’s network of local HVAC dealers. (HVAC stands for Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning. You want a trained technician to install your high efficiency furnace, promptly service any repairs you might have and stock all the right parts (such as replacement filters). And that local furnace dealer and technician must have the training and expertise to help you choose the right system, and be available for routine maintenance and emergency calls.
Central Air Conditioner Buying Tips
The type and size of air conditioner you need depends on your climate and cooling loads. Evaporative coolers are practical in hot, arid regions such as the southwest. For other regions, compressor-driven air-conditioning systems are the only choice.
When you are shopping for a central air conditioner, look for a SEER rating higher than 13.00 SEER.
If you already have a forced-air heating system, you may be able to tie an air conditioner into existing ducts, depending on their size and your home's relative heating and cooling loads. A good HVAC contractor can do the calculations for you.
Proper sizing and installation are key elements in determining air conditioner efficiency. Too large a unit will not adequately remove humidity. Too small unit will not be able to maintain a comfortable temperature on the hottest days. Improper unit location, lack of duct insulation, improper duct sealing, and incorrect refrigerant charge can greatly diminish efficiency
When buying a central air conditioner, look for a system with a fan-only switch so you can use the unit for nighttime ventilation to substantially reduce air-conditioning costs; a filter check light to remind you to check the filter after a predetermined number of operating hours; and an automatic-delay fan switch to turn off the fan a few minutes after the compressor turns off.
Look for a unit with quiet operation.
If you need or want to replace your existing air conditioner's outdoor (compressor) unit, make sure the indoor (blower coil) unit is compatible with the new outdoor unit. A highly efficient outdoor unit will not achieve its rated efficiency if paired with an older blower coil.
Five Tips To Buy New Furnace
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