When it’s time to get a new furnace, there are several things you should think about before making a conclusion on a particular replacement furnace. With your home and your family’s needs in mind, Dave's Diversified Services can help you find the furnace that will keep your home warm and cozy.
Fuel Source
One of the first things you need to decide is which fuel source your new furnace will use. The majority of furnaces in North America run on natural gas, but some homes are set up to use liquified petroleum gas, propane or even electricity. It’s critical to know which type of fuel is needed for your new furnace.
Furnace Type
You’ll also want to consider which type of furnace you’d prefer to effectively meet your needs. Furnaces come in single-stage, two-stage or variable capacity models. A single-stage furnace blows heat consistently at one speed and isn’t the strongest in efficiency amid these options. A two-stage furnace works great for many homes. Stage one of a two-stage furnace runs at about 65 percent of its capacity, and stage two will kick in for a heating blast on the frigid Front Royal days. Though if you want to go for the best choice in flexibility and efficiency, a variable capacity furnace may be a good option.
Different from single- and two-stage models, variable capacity furnaces don’t have a specific number of stages to go through to deliver heat. A variable capacity furnace can actually work at different capacities to answer your heating needs.
Zoning
Whether you want to incorporate a zoning system with your replacement furnace is another feature to discuss. You could save money by more efficiently using your furnace to heat the areas you typically use, rather than trying to keep the whole house at the same temperature. If you want more information about zoning solutions for your home, Dave's Diversified Services can help.
Size
Another critical part of selecting the best furnace for your home is ensuring it’s the correct size for your space. If your furnace is too large for your home’s heating needs, it will waste a lot of energy incessantly cycling on and off. If your furnace is too small, it won’t be able to warm your home on the coldest Front Royal days.
Efficiency
Last, but certainly not least, you need to review your furnace’s energy efficiency rating. A furnace’s efficiency is calculated by annual fuel utilization efficiency (AFUE). This rating signifies the ratio of annual heat output of the furnace compared to the total annual fossil fuel energy it consumes. For example, an 80 percent AFUE rating means that 80 percent of energy in the fuel heats the home and the other 20 percent escapes through places like the furnace venting. A high-efficiency furnace will have an AFUE rating of 90 to 98.7 percent.
As you can see, there’s a lot to consider when looking for a replacement furnace. But, you’re not in this alone. Dave's Diversified Services is here to answer all of your questions and help you find a furnace that suits your home and heating needs. Chat with our technicians at 540-636-3396 or schedule an appointment with us online.