Sometimes, buying a new furnace is an important part of taking good care of your home during those cold winter months. But it can feel like a huge and overwhelming process. The last thing you want to do is go out and impulsively spend thousands of dollars on whatever model seems best without really knowing if it’ll work best for your home and lifestyle.
Here are a few tips and tricks on what to look for when you’re shopping for a new furnace.
Buy It Before You Need It
The early bird gets the furnace. Don’t’ wait until November or December when it starts getting cold to turn on your old furnace just to discover that it doesn’t work and you need to go buy another one.
A good rule of thumb is to always test out your furnace in the summer or fall before you need it, so that way you can make necessary replacements before you really need a working furnace.
What “AFUE” Is And Why It Matters
You may have heard of a little thing called efficiency and why it’s so important in electrical appliances to save energy and your hard-earned dollars. Efficiency for furnaces is measured in AFUE (annual fuel utilization efficiency), and the higher the AFUE rating the more efficiently the furnace runs.
When shopping for furnaces, make sure you look out for high AFUE ratings. Today, Canadian furnaces are sold at 78% AFUE and can go as high as 98%. So choose wisely, because the higher the number the more money you’ll save on heating in the long run even if it’s more expensive to buy initially.
Size Matters
Furnace size may not always be at the forefront of your mind when shopping, but it’s definitely something to consider. Smaller houses in temperate climates may only need small compact furnaces, while big houses in climates with long hard winters should get big furnaces to match.
Figure Out What Burner Works Best For You
What most people don’t realize is that there are different types of burners that work for different types of heating needs. A single-stage burner lets the furnace either be on or off. So while it’s the least efficient type of burner, if you live in a climate that’s consistently cold this could work for you.
A dual-stage burner lets your furnace run on either low or high, so it’ll never be completely off. This is good for colder climates where you’ll still need a little heat on milder days.
Finally, a modulating-burner lets you adjust the temperature to whatever you like between off and high. This option is the most efficient and works best for temperate climates with hot summers and cold winters.
There are so many important things to consider when you’re shopping for a new furnace. Luckily, you don’t have to do it alone. For all your HVAC needs and questions, contact the experts at M&K Heating and Air Conditioning because we’re always happy to help you find the right furnace for your needs
