Purchasing a new furnace is a cost for homeowners that must be carefully considered. It presents a unique opportunity to learn more about the needs of your home and work closely with your HVAC expert to understand details such as the brand to choose, warranty coverage considerations, and unit sizing. Read more about the efficiency of various furnace brands here.
Before diving into these questions, however, it is important to start with understanding your current unit.
Here are several key questions to ask about the energy efficiency and performance of your current furnace.
1. What is the energy efficiency rating of my current furnace?
You can learn more about the energy rating of your furnace by looking for the Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE) rating. The AFUE is a rough percentage of the energy your furnace can transform into heat during the year and is the basis for the EnerGuide rating system. Read more about this rating in our blog here.
A furnace with an efficiency rating of at least 95% and which is EnerGuide and Energy Star-certified is ideal. To qualify for energy efficiency-related grants when upgrading to a new furnace, these energy ratings become very important.
2. What is my current furnace costing me in energy bills?
If your furnace is over 25 years old, you could be paying 45% more on your energy bill than you need to. Furnaces built before 1992 did not have to adhere to the same efficiency ratings for their fuel usage.
Tracking your energy bills over the course of the year can give you good insight into opportunities for greater efficiency. Many hydro and gas companies allow homeowners to obtain this insight from their online customer profile. You can also do this manually using, for example, a tracking spreadsheet.
3. If I upgrade to a new furnace, what else do I need to consider for my home comfort needs?
This question is an excellent one to bring to our Applewood home comfort specialists.
Your home is unique and has unique heating and cooling needs! Home comfort is influenced by variables such as size, layout, insulation levels, local climate, and much more.
Your Applewood expert can help you navigate questions like: should I add a Heat Recovery Ventilator (HRV)? Do I need an air filtration system? How will humidity be addressed by this new furnace?
They can also support you in understanding the warranty considerations of your new unit.
4. What do I need to know about furnace maintenance?
Preventative furnace maintenance is critical over the entire lifetime of the unit. When purchasing the new unit, find out from your HVAC expert how you can regularly check the air filter on your furnace.
If your air filter becomes clogged, the furnace will have to work harder to support airflow. Your home comfort will suffer quickly as a result.
An annual inspection and maintenance program is also an excellent route to helping your furnace operate at peak efficiency. At Applewood, we offer several tiers of available maintenance packages to ensure that your furnace is operating at peak efficiency and maintain the long-term life of the unit. Read more about them here.
Our team of professionals at Applewood have been providing Ontarians with the absolute best in air conditioning and heating service for almost five decades. Contact our knowledgeable team today to learn more about how we can help you meet your home comfort goals.
