When it’s time to get a new furnace, there are a number of things you should think about before making a judgement on a particular replacement furnace. With your house and your family’s needs in mind, Three Rivers Heating & Cooling can help you choose the furnace that will keep your home warm and cozy.
Fuel Source
One of the first aspects you need to consider is which fuel source your new furnace will use. The majority of furnaces in North America run on natural gas, but some homes are set up to use liquified petroleum gas, propane or even electricity. It’s critical to know which type of fuel is required for your new furnace.
Furnace Type
You’ll also want to determine 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 constantly at one speed and isn’t the strongest in efficiency amid these options. A two-stage furnace works well 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 increase on the chilly Portland days. Though if you want to go for the ultimate choice in flexibility and efficiency, a variable capacity furnace may be a good option.
In contrast to 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 include a zoning system with your replacement furnace is another thing to think about. You could save costs by more efficiently using your furnace to heat the areas you normally use, rather than trying to keep the whole house at the same temperature. If you want more to know more about zoning possibilities for your home, Three Rivers Heating & Cooling can help.
Size
Another key part of selecting the best furnace for your home is confirming it’s the right size for your house. If your furnace is too large for your home’s heating needs, it will waste a lot of energy continuously cycling on and off. If your furnace is too small, it won’t be able to warm your home on the coldest Portland days.
Efficiency
Last, but certainly not least, you need to check your furnace’s energy efficiency rating. A furnace’s efficiency is measured by annual fuel utilization efficiency (AFUE). This rating signifies 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 is lost 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, there’s a lot to consider when shopping for a replacement furnace. But, we can help. Three Rivers Heating & Cooling is here to answer all of your questions and help you choose a furnace that fits your home and heating needs. Chat with our technicians at 503-213-4433 or schedule an appointment with us online.