New Furnace Installation: 3 Things to Consider
If you’re experiencing significant furnace issues, it may be time to consider a new furnace installation, especially if your current furnace is more than 15 years old and in poor condition. But before you make the decision on this serious home comfort investment, here are three important points to consider.
Size of the New Furnace
If the furnace is too small, it won’t keep your home warm, and if it’s too large, it will cycle frequently, causing home temperatures to fluctuate. Older furnaces were often oversized, leading to higher operating costs.
If you have improved your home with various weatherizing tasks like upgrading windows and doors, improving insulation and reducing air leakage in your home, you’ll likely be able to install a smaller furnace that fits your heating needs.
The first step is to arrange for the heat load in your home to be calculated using the Manual J method. This is important and will save you a lot of money, so make sure your contractor can perform the calculation.
Efficiency Rating
Furnace technology has improved and there are many efficient models available. Although they’re more expensive upfront, they use less fuel which will result in lower utility costs. When looking for a new furnace, pay attention to the annual fuel utilization efficiency (AFUE) rating, which reflects the amount of heat generated by the equipment compared to the amount of fuel used to create the heat.
Fuel Sources
Find out what fuels are available in your area and check their costs, as it’s quite possible that the fuel your old furnace used is more expensive than newer alternatives. You may be able to make further savings by choosing the right fuel.
For assistance calculating the size of a new furnace, estimating running costs, choosing alternative fuels and professionally installing your new furnace, contact the pros at Apollo Home Heating, Cooling and Plumbing. We’ve proudly served homeowners throughout the greater Cincinnati area with their HVAC and plumbing needs since 1910.