How to Buy a Better Furnace — Fast

house

The last thing you want just before the winter holidays is for your heating to go out — but of course, that’s exactly what happened. Now, you need to move fast to replace your furnace fast, to keep your home warm and toasty during the most wonderful time of year. Of course, make sure to view website options of different furnace repair companies like Call The General before deciding you need a replacement – the issue could be fixable!

However, acting quickly should not be synonymous with acting rashly. Your furnace is a major component of your home, which means you need to be careful to select the system that suits you best — or else you’ll be rushing to replace your furnace again next winter.

Fuel Type

When most people use the word “furnace,” they are talking about a gas heater, which burns natural gas to heat the air that travels around their home. Gas furnaces are some of the most efficient central heating tools, especially because natural gas burns cleaner than coal and oil, which power most electricity plants across the United States. Plus, natural gas tends to be exceedingly affordable, making heating your home during the winter less of a budget-buster.

Still, you shouldn’t buy a gas furnace if you don’t already have a natural gas heating system in your home. In fact, you might not have a furnace at all. Many older homes use hot-water systems, which have radiators in each room to supply heat. If you live in a warmer climate, your home might have a less robust heating system, like a heat pump, which likely runs on electricity. You should do some research into what kind of fuel your heating system runs on, so you don’t waste time researching the wrong type of furnace.

Size

Size is an incredibly important factor in any heating and cooling equipment — and contrary to what you might expect, bigger isn’t always better. Obviously, a furnace that is too small for your home might not be able to keep your rooms adequately warm; on the other hand, a furnace that is too large will frequently cycle on and off, wasting fuel and energy and perhaps burning out sooner than expected.

If you know the size of your old furnace, and if you haven’t added any rooms onto your home, you can buy a system of identical size. Otherwise, it will be worth your time to bring a contractor onto your property to measure your property and calculate the necessary size of your furnace, in BTUs or tons. You shouldn’t trust a measurement given to you over the phone or by anyone who hasn’t visited your home; this calculation is complex and takes into consideration your square footage, the efficiency of doors and windows, insulation levels and more. It is best to be safe and pay more now for a truly expert opinion than waste your time and money on a unit that doesn’t suit your needs.

Features

It might be difficult for you to believe that furnaces come with different features. What, is your furnace going to have four-wheel drive and be able to run Microsoft Office? Though your furnace definitely won’t come with those kind of bells and whistles, there are differences in how furnaces are built, and choosing the right features will make your life easier.

Here are a few top features to seek out in natural gas furnaces, specifically:

· Two-stage valves. Valves control the flow of fuel, and having two-stage valves provides you more minute control over the air temperature in your home. At first, two-stage valves turn on high to provide fast heating, but the power slowly tapers to ensure rooms don’t get overheated.

· Sealed combustion. One of natural gas’s byproducts when burned is carbon monoxide, which is a colorless, odorless gas that is exceedingly toxic to humans and pets. Sealed combustion chambers ensure that no CO leaks into your home, keeping everyone safe.

· High-end filters. You should be replacing your HVAC’s air HEPA filters every few months, but you might also search for a furnace that comes with an electrostatic filter to trap even more particulates and keep your air clean.

Warranty

Finally, the last consideration you should make when buying a furnace is its warranty. If you have an older home, you should already have a home warranty in place to keep your entire HVAC system in good working order. If you don’t currently have one, you might want to check out providers in your area. Companies like First American operate in states across the country so, whether you live in Florida, Kentucky, or elsewhere, you’ll have the peace of mind that, should anything go wrong, local contractors can be called out to diagnose and address the problem. If you’d like to check for availability in your area, click for more info.  However, a new furnace should also come with a factory and/or retailer warranty covering parts and service for at least a few years, maybe more on more delicate components like heat exchangers. You might consider acquiring an extended warranty from a third-party warranty reseller, which offers lower rates for the same coverage.

You can get a furnace fast and cheap — but that doesn’t mean you can get the right furnace for your home without doing any research. Knowing what kind of furnace you want goes a long way toward ensuring you won’t have a similar catastrophe before the holidays next year, or even the year after that.

Speak Your Mind

*