Most homeowners do not have the luxury of experience on their side when replacing the furnace in their homes. It’s not a task that’s performed often, so when it comes time to replace their furnace, homeowners must rely on the expertise of their contractor, or conduct time-consuming research on furnace efficiency, features, sizing and installation.
Or they can just use this easy guide to replacing the furnace.
Selecting efficiency
In our cold-winter climate, it nearly always pays to invest in the highest-rated furnace possible. The minimum standard set by the government is 78 percent Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE), but high-efficiency furnaces begin at 90 percent AFUE and go up to nearly 100 percent. With the highest rating possible, nearly all of the fuel burning in your furnace will be converted to heat for your home, and you’ll increase monthly energy savings accordingly.
Choosing features
Manufacturers use a variety of features that can be combined to create an ultra-efficient furnace, including:
- Two-stage gas valves
- Variable-speed air handlers
- Second heat exchangers
- Sealed combustion chambers
Talk to your HVAC contractor about the value of each feature, and run the numbers when comparing systems to maximize your investment when replacing the furnace.
Sizing and installation
The last step in the replacement process, choosing a reputable contractor to size and install the furnace, will boost its performance capabilities and encourage optimal home comfort. The contractor should use the industry-standard Manual J heating load calculation to match the furnace’s output to your home’s heating load, or how much heat it requires to maintain comfort over the winter season.
Expert installation practices encourage performance and comfort, too, as the contractor should take into account factors such as the size and condition of the ducts, select the proper location for installing the furnace to minimize noise issues, and ensure safe venting of combustion gases.
Replacing the furnace in your home doesn’t have to be a dreaded and painful experience. With the assistance of the experts at Climate Control Company, you’ll be pleasantly surprised at just how pleasing the process of upgrading can be — especially when your new furnace is humming along once winter hits, and you’re enjoying its high efficiency capabilities and the ultra-comfortable home it produces. We’ve been proudly serving western Colorado since 1956.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Aspen, Vail and the surrounding Western slope communities in Colorado about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about replacing the furnace and other HVAC topics, please visit our website.
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