If you’re undertaking a furnace installation in the near future, there are a number of considerations you’ll want to take into account. Not all furnaces are the same, nor are all homes. The furnace you have installed needs to match your home’s heating needs, among other factors. Consider the following before a furnace installation:

Fuel source — Different furnaces burn different fuels, including natural gas, fuel oil and propane. Electric furnaces and heat pumps also are available. The natural gas combustion furnace is the most common in the U.S., though as you move south, heat pumps become more prevalent. Still, the gas furnace is a relatively inexpensive and effective option if your home is already tied into a natural gas line and has the venting, ductwork and piping for a gas furnace.

Size — If your furnace ends up being too small or too large for your home, you won’t get the performance or efficiency that you’re hoping for. You’ll likely waste energy, stress parts and have to tolerate uneven temperatures in different rooms. An HVAC professional, as a preliminary to furnace installation, should calculate the heating load of your home before recommending a certain capacity of furnace. This calculation should take into account the size of your home and number of levels, the home’s energy efficiency, windows, household energy habits and preferences, and orientation to the sun, among other factors.

Efficiency level — Furnaces come in two main efficiency levels — standard and high efficiency — though there are gradations within those larger categories. Generally speaking, the higher a furnace’s efficiency level the most it will cost upfront. However, long-term energy costs will be lower than with a high-efficiency furnace. In a cold-winter climate, higher efficiency makes more sense than in a southern climate, where the furnace won’t get as much use. Talk to your HVAC professional about your energy efficiency options.

For more help on your next furnace installation, including information on various advanced available features, please contact us at Powers Heating & Air, providing quality service to the Peachtree City area.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Peachtree City, Georgia and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about installing a furnace and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Guide or call us at 770-487-2040.

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