4 Important Tips When Buying a Furnace
Are you planning on buying a new furnace this season? Allow us to help you make a wise choice by presenting a list of four things you need to consider before making that purchase.
Marsh Heating and Air Conditioning is your leading heating company in Champlin MN that offers an array of energy-efficient furnaces packed with useful features.
Overview
Your furnace is undeniably one of the most important pieces of technology in your home, especially during winter. Without it, you and your family will be left in the cold, being exposed to the risk of developing weather-related diseases. If you have an older furnace that doesn’t meet the government’s minimum annual fuel utilization efficiency (AFUE) rating, you should replace it much sooner than later.
Here are a few important factors to consider when buying a new heating system:
Type
Not all furnaces are built the same, especially in terms of the power source. It’s important to note what source of power will run the system. Depending on your budget, you have at least two options to choose from: a gas-fired furnace or an electric unit.
If you’re budget conscious, a gas furnace is typically more budget-friendly compared to an electric heating system. However, gas furnaces require more maintenance compared to electric furnaces. Since gas furnaces involve the burning of fossil fuels in order to heat your home, you need to have a good ventilation system or a properly maintained chimney to effectively let the fumes out.
Also, keep in mind that gas furnaces require annual maintenance by a qualified HVAC technician. He will inspect the system for holes, cracks, and leaks. Even a tiny break in the furnace will cause it to emit carbon monoxide right into your home.
On the other hand, an electric-powered furnace is usually more expensive than a gas unit. One of the key benefits of having this type of heating system is that it does not involve combustion, eliminating the chances of carbon monoxide emission. In other words, an electric furnace is a cleaner, safer, and the more environment-friendly option to heat your home.
Proper Sizing
Buying the most advanced or the most expensive furnace doesn’t guarantee you’ll be getting the greatest comfort. When it comes to furnaces, size does matter — that is, proper sizing.
If you tend to worry about your budget, you may lean towards a cheaper unit. However, when a furnace is too small, it doesn’t have enough power to properly heat your home, making it run longer, in an attempt to reach your desired temperature. Not only does it use more fuel, but it also forces your furnace to work with added strain. An undersized furnace uses more energy to perform its job and is more likely to fail prematurely compared to a properly sized unit.
On the other hand, an oversized furnace heats up the home too quickly but consumes too much energy. A furnace that is too large tends to short cycle, which means the unit will shut itself off before it even reaches the right temperature. Frequent short cycling isn’t good for the furnace as it causes the unit to fail prematurely.
AFUE
Like mentioned earlier, AFUE is an important factor to consider when buying a new furnace. Since your furnace is going to be a major energy consumer in your home, you would want a unit that is efficient at making your home conveniently warm.
AFUE is the measure by which a furnace’s energy-efficiency is estimated. The higher the AFUE rating, the more energy-efficient the system is.
Warranty
Not every homeowner pays close attention to the warranty of a furnace. However, this is an important factor to consider, especially when the system fails unexpectedly or prematurely.
The warranty on your furnace will differ depending on the manufacturer, model, and dealer. High-efficiency furnaces Typically have longer warranties compared to low-efficiency units. With a furnace having at least 90 percent AFUE, it is especially important to have a long-term warranty on the heat exchanger because this part is quite expensive to replace or repair.
Questions? Ask Marsh Heating and Air Conditioning
If you need more information on how to make the right furnace purchase, give us a call. We’d love to sit down with you and answer any questions you may have. We are your trusted Anoka furnace installation company.