With regular maintenance, most furnaces last for about 15 to 20 years. As your unit gets older, it loses its efficiency and at some point, needs to be replaced. A comfortable and healthy home environment needs an energy-efficient and safe heating system.

Your furnace is one of the more expensive pieces of equipment for your home that is why you need to be careful in choosing your new unit. Having the right system can help save you money on heating bills while keeping your family comfortable during winter.

That is why it is a good thing to get started by calling a heating company in New Berlin, WI for an estimate first, rather than doing it yourself and being upset over having the wrong system installed in your home later.

Here are the some of the key items you need to take into consideration when choosing your new furnace.

Correct Sizing

When it comes to your new heating system, bigger isn’t always better. Though it may seem like you’d get more value out of a larger furnace, be aware that it could end up causing more trouble in the long run. A properly sized furnace plays a major part in keeping your home properly heated and comfortable.

Many contractors will replace your furnace with a new unit that has the same capacity or estimate the best size furnace for your home. This is not the right approach to properly sizing your new system.

If you happen to install a furnace that is too big for your home, it will produce too much heat than what your home actually requires. Your energy bills will shoot up due to the high power usage of the large furnace. Another problem could be short cycling, which happens when the thermostat reaches the desired temperature too early, which shuts the system down unexpectedly. This is a serious problem, as short cycling increases the stress on the furnace, causing failures to happen more frequently.

On the other hand, if the furnace is too small, your home will have similar problems but due to different reasons. An undersized furnace will not be able to provide enough heat to keep the home comfortable. It will be coerced to work harder than normal, in an attempt to compensate for the inadequate output.

Energy Efficiency

A furnace’s ability to convert gas into heat is measured by its annual fuel utilization efficiency (AFUE) rating. It reflects the percentage of the fuel consumed that’s actually used for heating the home. AFUE ratings range from 80 percent to 98.5 percent. Every new heating system on display must have a label with an AFUE rating and the unit’s estimated annual operating costs under varying conditions. This helps you easily compare different furnace models.

Be aware that prices generally go up in tandem with fuel efficiency. Although you will need to invest more in a high-efficiency model, this cost will be reimbursed by having lower monthly energy bills.

Zoning

Zoning your home gives you the best possible climate control. It is similar to having a different furnace in every part of your house.  A zoning system involves many thermostats throughout your home that are connected by wires to a main thermostat.

The main thermostat can open or close ductwork in various rooms to better control the temperature in different areas of the house.

Here are some of the benefits of zoning your home:

  • Customizable heating in every room
  • Lower energy usage
  • Accurate temperature control
  • Quiet operation

Product and Installation Costs

The actual unit will make up the main lump of your installation cost. In addition, there are other things you need to consider when calculating your expenses for a new furnace:

  • Unit size
  • Labor cost
  • Indoor air quality features
  • Adjustments to the made to the distribution system

Ask the Heating Pros

Choosing your furnace isn’t just an appliance purchase. It’s an investment in your home’s overall comfort. An abrupt, ignorant purchase may compromise your family’s safety, not to mention the added cost to your monthly heating bills.

A trusted, licensed heating company like New Berlin Heating and Air Conditioning has the knowledge and experience to help you find the right furnace for your home.

We partnered with some of the best manufacturers in the industry to offer you a wide variety of quality heating and cooling systems to choose from.

Call us and be one of our faithful customers who rely on us for their Waukesha furnace installation and other HVAC needs.