It isn’t very often that you are in the market for a gas furnace. This typically occurs when your current furnace breaks down or perhaps during a remodel or house build that you are faced with the option of what type of gas furnace to buy. Should you find yourself in need of a gas furnace, there are things you should take into consideration.
The first thing that usually happens is you call a contractor or heating company and ask for estimates. You will need to determine what size of heater you will need for your home. If you get a heater that is too small, you won’t be able to maintain a comfortable temperature during the cooler months. If your heater is too large, it will cycle on and off too often and that puts more wear and tear on the unit than is necessary. The larger units require larger ducts and this could involve additional costs to be incurred. If the ducts are not the right size, the flow of air can be very noisy and inefficient.
You need to make sure your contractor properly calculates your heating needs and uses the industry standards. The Air Conditioning Contractors of America use the “Manual J HVAC Residential Load Calculation”. These calculations are the industry standard taking into consideration your local climate, construction design and size of your home.
When considering a high efficiency gas heating system, the rating is determined by how efficiently your heater changes gas into heat energy. This helps determine the annual fuel-utilization-efficiency (AFUE) rating. The higher the number, the more efficient the heater is. Gas furnaces have become more efficient over time and some units even have a 97% efficiency rating. The more efficient the gas furnace the cost is usually higher but the long-term investment will pay off over the life of the furnace in lower utility bills.
When you are considering different gas furnaces, be sure to consider a variety of efficiencies and have your contractor calculate the yearly operating costs of the different models. This can be easily done, just make sure your contractor knows what the local utility rates are and the size of your home.
Most gas furnaces have a life span of 15 years, if well maintained some units can last up to 18 years. If you have a gas furnace that is not working properly, call the experts at Climate Tech Air Conditioning & Heating. We can help you decide if you need to repair or replace your current unit and the most cost/energy efficient way to do so.
