Excerpt: Are you
having trouble with your current heating system? Read through these tips to get
started on the right foot when it comes to selecting the best furnace for your
needs.
Heating during the winter accounts for a large portion of
any household’s annual energy costs. Whether you have been considering
replacing your furnace out of necessity or simply the desire to lower heating
costs and improve comfort, there are many options available on the market.
Today’s advanced furnace technology offers greatly improved efficiency to lower
both the financial and environmental costs of heating your Detroit home.
Fuel Source
There are three main fuel sources a furnace can use to heat
your home: gas, oil, or electricity. In some cases, the type of fuel source you
consider may be dictated by the service available in your area. If you already
have access to natural gas, installing a furnace that uses gas is simpler than
if you live in a home without existing gas mains. The
cost of each fuel source in your area and your personal preference may also
play important roles in your final decision.
Efficiency
Every time your furnace engages, it converts fuel into heat
to warm the air of your home. A furnace’s efficiency is determined by the
percentage of fuel input that is turned into usable heat output. Any heat that
is lost during this process lowers the efficiency of the appliance. Most older furnaces operate at 60-75% efficiency, while newer high-
and super-efficiency gas or oil furnaces have an average heating efficiency of
75-95%. Electric furnaces and heat pumps can offer up to 100% efficiency during
use, but may require more energy to operate than oil- or gas-fueled models.
When shopping for your new furnace, you can read the unit’s efficiency off the
yellow Energy Guide label affixed to each appliance.
Size
Not all furnaces are designed with the same heating
capabilities—various models are designed with different heating capacities in
mind. It’s essential to select a furnace that is properly sized to heat your
home to gain the most benefit from your purchase. Installing a furnace with too
little or too much heating capacity will result in lowered efficiency during
operation and higher annual heating bills. You can calculate the heating
capacity you need from the square footage and amount of insulation in your
home. There are various web resources to help you determine the ideal furnace
size for your needs, or you can contact a heating technician for help calculating
this value.
Installation and
Maintenance
Regardless of the furnace you choose, it’s essential that
you select a top-quality HVAC specialist to install it. Even the most efficient
furnace will cost more than necessary to run and provide inadequate heating if
it is not installed and maintained by a skilled technician. Every furnace must
be serviced regularly to maintain efficiency and ensure that worn, damaged, and
dirty parts are replaced or cleaned.
Are you considering replacing your furnace, air conditioner,
or water heater in Detroit or Ann Arbor? Visit our website to contact an experienced
HVAC technician for help choosing and installing the best appliance for your needs
to reduce energy costs and improve comfort. You can find out more about heating
and cooling your home efficiently and maintaining
your HVAC equipment for the best results online.
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