Do you know all of your furnace options?
Fall has just started! Have you already had to use your gas furnace? Even though fall has just started, you want to start thinking about your furnace. It’s time to start getting that furnace ready for the heavy heat load of winter.
The best way to enjoy home comfort year-round is to make sure you head-off any heating or cooling emergencies during the mild, less busy seasons. If you have an emergency “no-heat” call during the winter, you are going to end up with waiting a longer time due to the high volume of calls that contractors receive during the winter.
If you have scheduled preventative maintenance and have determined that your old furnace needs to be replaced, you should do your research before you settle on the system for your home. For example, some units may cost more money upfront, but they could end up saving you money over its life because of efficient, smooth performance.
Efficiency. Higher efficiency systems are going to be more expensive than lower efficiency systems. However, the higher efficiency furnace is going to save you money month-to-month in efficient operation. Over time, this can more than pay for the initial cost difference. remember, furnace efficiency is indicated by the AFUE (the Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency) rating.
Stages of operation. There are furnaces that are single stage, two stage and modulating. The more stages the furnace has, the less amount of money you could end up spending on monthly utilities. When your system turns on and off, it is going to be consuming the largest amount of energy in the shortest amount of time. So, minimizing those on/off cycles can be beneficial. Also, multiples stages of operation can lead to more even temperatures. More even temperatures means greater home comfort! 
Fuel Type. When we are referring to furnaces, we are primarily referring to natural gas-powered furnaces. There are other furnaces, such as electric and oil. Remember, a good alternative to an electric furnace is a heat pump. You can even pair your heat pump with a gas furnace for greater fuel source flexibility. Heat pumps are the more efficient electric heating method because they use heat transfer, instead of heat creation.
Not sure if you need a new furnace? Schedule fall maintenance with your local heating and cooling contractor. They will be able to let you know whether it’s time to retire that old model and upgrade to something more efficient.
Have you recently replaced your furnace? How are you liking it?