How To Choose The Right Heating System
Choosing the right furnace can be as challenging as buying a new car. When shopping for a new heating system, there are certain things you should be aware of that will help you save money and ensure worry-free operation.
When shopping for a new car, reliability is a key factor, because it determines how well and how long it will run. A furnace is really no different. Purchasing a quality furnace can save you headaches and money down the road.
"Today's furnaces are built and tested for reliability," says John Gibbons, brand manager, Bryant Heating & Cooling Systems. "In addition, many manufacturers back their products with 20-year or more limited warranties."
Here are some things to look for when buying a furnace:
Efficiency
A furnace's efficiency rating, or AFUE (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency) tells you how efficiently the furnace uses fuel (gas or oil). In general, the higher the efficiency, the less fuel it will use to heat your home. The minimum rating is 78 percent and some furnaces are rated as high as 96 percent.
Usually a higher-efficiency furnace is a bit more expensive than other units. However, if you live in a cold climate, you may recover your investment in a high-efficiency furnace back in lower utility bills.
Of course, after the payback, you continue to save on your energy bills for the life of a system.
Variable-Speed Furnaces
Some furnaces can make you more comfortable. For example, variable-speed furnaces can run on low speed up to 90 percent of the time, and operate very quietly. Variable-speed furnaces run on low speed most of the time, switching to high speed during the coldest times of the year. This can mean dramatic energy savings and a quieter heating system.