Turning Up the Heat on Buying a New Furnace

by Foley’s Heating & AC, Inc.

Turning Up the Heat

on Buying a New Furnace

If you stay in your home long enough, you will inevitably need to replace its furnace at some point. And if you have been in your older house for a decade or more, you will realize, as with everything else, options have changed along with efficiency and costs of replacement. Here are a few things to consider as you navigate furnace replacement.

Furnace Types

Most of us grew up with the single-stage heat. This is the furnace that you set to a preferred temperature, and the furnace cycles to maintain that temperature within a few degrees. This type of furnace allows for many domestic disputes on temperature preferences.

A newer type is two-stage or multi-stage heat. There are two sizes of flames, small for mild temperature conditions and large for colder temperatures. It’s more efficient, does not rely on cycling, and maintains the desired temperature to within a degree at all times.

Modulating heat is the most desirable and efficient furnace option, and through micromanagement of the flame, it keeps your home’s temperature to within .2 degrees.

Furnace Size

If you know the approximate square footage of your home that you want to heat, share that with your HVAC professional. They can help you determine the BTUs or your home’s heating factor to determine what size and output your new furnace needs.

Gas or Electric

Gas is typically more expensive upfront, but the operating costs are cheaper over time as long as gas supplies remain relatively stable. Electric is more affordable upfront, but operating costs are higher. You can replace it with a gas furnace if you currently have a gas furnace. If there are no incoming gas lines, you will incur a significant upfront cost to install a gas furnace. Conversely, if your local power company offers an “off-peak” program, you may be able to reduce your electric furnace operating costs considerably.

There are many other options and variables to consider when replacing a furnace, but this hopefully provides you a starting point to begin the process. As always, consult a professional HVAC provider to achieve the best results. l