If you want your upcoming furnace installation to go well, you’ll want to remember some important guidelines about choosing a furnace. This is a major investment, and as a result, you’ll need to take into account energy efficiency, the fuel source, sizing and available features. Here’s why:
Fuel source — Your main options include natural gas, fuel oil and propane in combustion furnaces, along with other options such as an electric furnace, boiler, electric baseboard or heat pump. The most common furnaces are fueled by natural gas, which is relatively cheap compared to other available fuel sources. This is likely your best choice if your home is already served by a gas line and has interior infrastructure for a gas furnace (venting, pipes, ductwork, etc.).
Energy efficiency — This is a measure of how much fuel and electricity is converted into usable heat by your furnace. These days, combustion furnaces come in standard efficiency and high efficiency. Standard is less expensive to install, but will have higher energy bills through the life of the furnace. Homeowners in cold winter areas like Indiana and the Midwest are usually wise to pay a bit more for a furnace that will allow them to enjoy lower heating bills for years to come.
Sizing — This is a key factor in a furnace installation since both oversizing and undersizing a new furnace will result in wasted energy, uneven heating and unnecessary stress on parts. Your furnace contractor should complete a heating load calculation before recommending a certain size of furnace. This will take into account the size and layout of your home, its energy efficiency, orientation on your lot, and several other factors.
Advanced features — A variety of features are available for new furnaces that will save energy and enhance comfort. You should strongly consider getting a variable-speed and multi-stage furnace that adjusts its speed and output to temperature conditions. Whole-house humidity control is another valuable feature. Opt for a programmable thermostat, too.
For more help with your furnace installation, please contact us at Mowery Heating, Cooling & Plumbing, serving the greater Indianapolis area with pride.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Brownsburg, Indiana and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).
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