Is there a possibility you need to buy a new furnace? A new furnace is critical to the happiness and comfort of your time at your home. No matter how perfectly your home is decorated, it won’t be welcoming without heating and cooling. Are you feeling overwhelmed by the confusing amount of information available online? We’re here to help.
Top 7 FAQ When Buying a New Furnace
1. Do I need a new furnace or can I just keep fixing the one I have?
According to EnergyStar.gov you should replace your furnace once it is 15 years old and your air conditioning or heat pump at 10-12 years. Why? Because efficiency and technology have advanced that much in the past decade. You’ll save energy and money with a new system.
If you still really aren’t sure, or your furnace isn’t 15 years old yet, play the math game. Is your HVAC system around 10 years old and does the needed repair approach 50% the cost of a new system? Chances are, it is smarter to simply replace your heating and cooling altogether. On the other hand, if your current HVAC system is older than 12 years, a furnace repair that exceeds just 30% the cost of replacement doesn’t make financial sense. It’s generally a good idea to have one of our advisors come and answer all your questions and give you a price on a replacement system. David White Services will come for free! A little tip, any reputable company should be willing to come and assess your home and HVAC needs for free.
2. I need a new furnace, which is better: Natural gas, propane, or electric furnace?
In southeastern Ohio, natural gas is not available everywhere. If you have it available to your home, a new, natural gas furnace is one of the most efficient, convenient, and reliable traditional ways to heat your home. Natural gas HVAC systems are the most popular heating systems in the USA. Natural gas is well supplied and should be plentiful for at least 100 years and it blows toasty warm air out of your registers. We sell the quietest and most efficient natural gas furnaces in the WORLD. If you have natural gas, it’s our favorite option.
Many homes in our area, however, don’t have natural gas as an option. Instead your choices are propane gas or electric. Which of these is better? Propane gas furnaces have all of the advantages of natural gas, except for convenience. It’s clean and cost effective but you have to have it delivered. Electric heat, when a heat pump is providing it, is one of the most efficient heating and cooling systems you can purchase. However, baseboard or an electric furnace alone are one of the most expensive ways to heat. One advantage of electric, in addition to efficiency, is there is no chance of carbon monoxide escaping since there is no gas or combustion. To sum up: A heat pump or natural gas furnace (or both, so you have options) is your best bet for efficient, affordable, reliable traditional heating and cooling. Propane is also a viable option if natural gas is not available in your area.
3. Can my new furnace reduce my carbon footprint?
Absolutely! When it’s time to replace your HVAC system it’s an excellent time to look into renewable resources. Geothermal heat pumps use the consistent temperature of the ground to provide heating and cooling for your home. Since HVAC is responsible for almost 50% of all your home’s energy consumption, it is the perfect place to start making changes that will make your home greener and our planet safer. We sell both geothermal HVAC systems and the innovative Lennox solar heating and cooling system, the only solar HVAC on the market.
4. What is AFUE and should I pay attention?
AFUE means Annualized Fuel Utilization Efficiency. It’s furnace way of saying “miles per gallon” It’s the percent of heat produced for every dollar spent. For a more thorough explanation and a savings calculator click here.
5. What size should my new furnace be?
Go big or go home, right? The bigger the better. With furnaces, this isn’t the right way to go. A properly sized furnace should run almost all day on the coldest day of the year. An undersized furnace won’t heat your home on the coldest day of the year. But an oversized furnace is the most problematic of all. Though it will keep your house warm all year long, it won’t keep it as comfortable. What? How can a warm home be less comfortable? Because it kicks on and heats some rooms quickly, but then it turns off before some rooms have even heated at all. That turning on and off quickly also hurts your furnace, reducing it’s efficiency and life. A furnace runs at peak efficiency after it has run for awhile, so stopping and starting means you never get going to peak capacity. And your home will have hot and cold spots. It’s important to get and trust the expert advice of certified heating and cooling technicians when sizing your new furnace.
6. Does name brand matter?
Whichever furnace you purchase will bring you years of comfort, or frustration. The truth is almost all furnaces manufactured today use comparable parts from just a handful of international manufacturers. With online reviews, buyer’s guides, and other resources consumers are more informed than ever before. A bad brand simply can’t survive without producing reliable equipment. The main difference in name brand is warranty and the support behind that warranty. Sure, a furnace brand may talk a big game, but do they stand behind it? Even more important than the brand of furnace is the choice of contractor. For almost 40 years David White Services has been delivering dependable quality service and comfort to Athens, Gallipolis, Lancaster Ohio and their surrounding areas and we’ve trusted Lennox.
Their reliability is unprecedented since they’ve been making furnaces and supplying the parts to fix them since 1895. Lennox is a true American company and is a direct to contractor manufacturer. By eliminating the middle man they are able to cut costs and be there to support you and your trusted heating and cooling dealer. Choosing a trusted dealer and furnace brand that stand behind their warranty and will definitely still be in business in 10 years is the way to limit potential frustration.
7. Do I really need a maintenance contract on my new furnace too?
In short, yes. Almost all furnace warranties require proof of an annual tune-up to stay valid. Also, if you want your new furnace to last, to perform at peak efficiency, and run safely and consistently, you want it tuned up annually. And you absolutely MUST change your filter regularly.
Our expert team works together to bring you the very best heating and cooling for your home from installation to annual check-ups we work hard to make sure your heating and cooling equipment continues to function day in and out, year after year.
Our service department is open Monday-Friday from 7:00 am to 6:00 pm and we offer timely and emergency service 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
Indoor air quality and comfort is our priority for your home…and we’ve got the energy efficient Lennox furnaces and air conditioners and air quality products to provide it. Our Planned Maintenance customers enjoy additional savings and peace of mind.
Need to know where to start and get personal answers to the rest of your questions? Call today 1-800-247-6180 or email us.
