What You Should Think About When Replacing Your Furnace

When it’s time to get a new furnace, there are a number of things you should consider before making a judgement on a particular replacement furnace. With your home and your family’s needs in mind, Abilene Air-Tech Inc can help you choose the furnace that will keep your home warm and cozy.

Fuel Source

One of the first factors 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 residences 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 come 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 is a good fit for many homes. Stage one of a two-stage furnace works at about 65 percent of its capacity, and stage two will kick in for a heating blast on the frigid Abilene days. But if you want to go for the ultimate 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 set number of stages to go through to deliver heat. A variable capacity furnace can actually operate at different capacities to reach your heating needs.

Zoning

Whether you want to incorporate a zoning system with your replacement furnace is another feature to discuss. You could save money by more efficiently using your furnace to heat the areas you normally use, rather than trying to keep the entire home at the same temperature. If you want more details about zoning options for your home, Abilene Air-Tech Inc can help.

Size

Another key part of choosing the best furnace for your home is confirming 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 constantly cycling on and off. If your furnace is too small, it won’t be able to provide adequate heat on the coldest Abilene days.

Efficiency

Last, but certainly not least, you need to consider your furnace’s energy efficiency rating. A furnace’s efficiency is measured by annual fuel utilization efficiency (AFUE). This rating identifies 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 searching for a replacement furnace. But, you don’t have to tackle this by yourself. Abilene Air-Tech Inc is here to answer all of your questions and help you choose a furnace that fits your home and heating needs. Contact our experts at (325) 692-5850 or arrange an appointment with us online.