If your furnace is giving you problems and you are uncertain about what is wrong, let a team of professionals handle it for you! HVAC contractors in your area will take care of your comfort, so don’t hesitate to check out this link if you are on the lookout for furnace repair or installation in Vaughan area.
Here are a few tips that you should keep in mind while buying a new furnace!
1. Know your needs!
Before getting a furnace, you need to understand your house and your needs. To determine the type of furnace that is best for your home, you need to consider a few things such as –
— How much space do you have? This inquiry might not sound like much, but it plays a major role in helping you choose a furnace that fits seamlessly into your lifestyle and your home. Knowing the answer to this question will help you choose between a packaged system and a split system.
A split system has a bulky exterior and requires an installation inside the house. Having a special space or basement will ensure proper placement for the furnace.
On the other hand, in case you do not wish to install a split system, you can opt for a packaged system. It provides a similar result to that of a split system. However, its installation can occur outside the house.
— How big is your house? Another important thing to note is the size of your residence. If you end up buying a small furnace for a big house, it will inevitably fire up multiple times to maintain a constant temperature across the residence. This will lead to quick and extensive usage of the fuel, thereby increasing your energy bills.
We highly recommend hiring professionals to help you make the best choice for your house.
2. Know your Furnace!
With winter rolling in, every homemaker in the world will be itching to get their hands on a new furnace if they do not already have one. However, unlike ancient times, the options from which they can choose from has increased tenfold! So how do you decide what is best for you?
Start by identifying the different types of furnaces.
Fuel based — Furnaces can be divided into four types based on their fuel type — Natural gas, oil, electric, and propane. Knowing the difference between these can help you save some extra dollars when it fires up!
- Natural gas furnaces are some of the most economical options to choose from as they function at almost 98% efficiency.
- Oil furnaces work at an 80–90% efficiency and can be the next great option to choose from.
- Moving onto electric furnaces, they are the cheapest to buy when compared to the other options. However, it is important to check the difference between your electricity and gas charges before opting for this furnace. If your electricity charges are higher than your gas charges, it is better to opt for the natural gas furnace and vice versa!
- Last but not the least, propane furnaces are a good option when gas and oil supplies are not easily available in your neighbourhood. You do need to keep in mind whether you have enough storage space for them as compared to an electric furnace.
Setting based — There are three types of furnaces based on their setting — Single-stage furnace, two-stage furnace, and modulating furnace.
- A single-stage furnace is one of the most commonly brought furnaces and has a standard-setting of on and off. There is no way for homeowners to find a middle ground here, which is why it leads to a lot of fuel consumption.
- This is where the two-stage furnace comes in. We have two settings — High and Medium. This furnace helps in controlling fuel consumption to some level.
- There is also the case of modulating furnace where the flame modulates as it burns the fuel in small increments to help conserve energy and maintain a constant temperature throughout the house.
Know which furnace goes best with your energy consumption needs.
3. It’s an investment!
Do not go for the cheapest option! A furnace is a long time investment and you have to consider it as one. Many times people go for the cheapest option but end up having to constantly repair and maintain the furnace for it to be functioning normally. These cheap furnaces also tend to eat the most fuel when it comes to moderating a constant temperature throughout the house.
As we mentioned earlier, there are many options to choose from, which makes it easier for you to choose a bad furnace option. Do your research and buy the most energy-efficient and affordable option that you can.
4. Consult! Consult! Consult!
We cannot say this enough. Hire a professional consultant to give your house a go through before you think of purchasing a furnace.
Worried you may pick the wrong furnace type or choose a small furnace for your big house? Leave it to the experts.
They have a far better understanding of how the different types and functions of furnaces and which one would be the best option for you to choose from for your residence.
Find reliable consultants to make the decisions for you or just give us a call so that we can tailor a solution that is best for you!
5. Is your Furnace energy efficient?
You need to check the AFUE ratings of the furnace model you wish to buy. These ratings help you pick out the most energy-efficient furnace that you can buy from for your space! We admit that the furnaces with the highest ratings are not very pocket friendly, but think of it as an investment. Spend more now to save more later!
6. Install the right way!
Do not install your furnace on your own. Do not risk it! You may be the mechanic of your house, but this is not, neither should it be your next challenge.
A poorly installed furnace eats up a lot more fuel than it normally would. You might buy the most energy-efficient furnace there is only to end up with hefty bills nonetheless. Hire a skilled expert to install your furnace.
7. Don’t be the fix-it-yourself person!
The above advice goes towards the maintenance of the furnace as well. A furnace requires a lot of maintenance! Installing a furnace is not the end of it.
If they are not repaired on time, furnaces may use up a lot of fuel to compensate for the problem.
So ensure that the company you choose for installation is also aware of when you are planning on maintenance checks and repairs.
The company will probably inform you during installation about when you should conduct maintenance checks in the future.
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But do not fret! These are just problems that many people have faced before and we want you to avoid them!