If you are less than satisfied with your heating system’s lackluster performance this past winter, it may be time for a furnace upgrade. This is a good time to consider a furnace replacement since prices are generally quite low at the end of the heating season. To optimize your valuable investment in a new home-comfort system, be sure to consider the following factors:
Efficiency
You can find out a furnace system’s efficiency by looking at its Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE) rating. This rating shows how much energy a furnace will convert into heat. It also will give you a good idea of the potential monthly energy savings you can net by upgrading to a high-efficiency system. These begin at 90 percent AFUE.
Features
Higher-efficiency systems are able to get better ratings because they generally utilize advanced features to optimize fuel consumption.
Here are a few features to look for, which will improve your home comfort at the same time:
- Variable-speed furnace blower, which usually run at a lower but continuous speed, but can vary its operation to meet the unique demands of your home.
- Multi-stage heating system, which allows for varying use of fuel, limiting energy consumption on milder days, and then allowing higher heating capabilities on colder days
Sizing
Proper sizing will ensure that your new, efficient system can reach its performance potential. A heating technician should calculate your home’s heating load, factoring in elements such as heat gain, window placement and insulation, size of the home and other factors, to correctly match that load to the capacity of a new system.
Installation
If your furnace upgrade is not installed correctly, it will perform at much lower levels than it’s capable of. So it’s important that you select a reputable contractor with the appropriate certifications. The technician should follow industry standards for installing heating equipment, which includes factors such as sizing, inspecting the ductwork and adjusting the system’s airflow.
You don’t have to pull one more season out of a poorly performing heating system. With a furnace upgrade, you’ll invest money now to save more money later. For help, contact our local HVAC experts at C.R. Wolfe Heating &Air Conditioning. We offer heating and cooling upgrades, maintenance and repair services to homeowners in the Middletown area.
Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about furnace upgrades and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
CR Wolfe Heating services Middletown, NY. Visit our website to see our special offers and get started today!
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