Replacing Your Furnace: Features You'll Want To Consider

It also pays to investigate furnace features that promote higher system efficiency and advance the comfort levels in your home. Often, these features are more than worth the extra money required to invest in the system, as they will pay you back ten-fold over the life of owning the furnace.

When it comes to replacing your furnace, consider these important features before you make a purchase.

• Variable-speed air handlers, which allow air to travel slowly, quietly and continuously when the lower settings are used. This means the furnace can deliver continuous heat, rather than an interrupted flow, creating even temperatures throughout the home.
• Two-stage gas valves affect heating output by automatically adjusting the amount of fuel consumed. Over the majority of the season, the unit operates at the lower stage of heating output, delivering just enough heat to meet the home's heating load.
• A dual heat exchanger uses a second heat exchanger to use wasted heat the first exchanger can't use, and then releases, maximizing the heat produced.
• Improved ignition means no more constant flame in the furnace, which consumes fuel 24/7. New ignition options light the burners on demand or intermittently, limiting the amount of energy consumed, and promoting safer system operation as well as energy efficiency.
• Zoning systems, offering precise control over when areas of your home receive heating. While it's not a furnace feature, a zoning system can help you maximize the efficiency of your new system. The system allows different rooms to be heated (or cooled) by utilizing multiple thermostats and dampers installed in ductwork that correspond to "zones" in the home. A zoning system encourages energy savings, and it may help to extend the life of your furnace, preserving valuable service hours.

Keeping an old, inefficient furnace isn't necessary anymore -- and may cost you more in the long run. With the many features available in newer models, now's the time to make replacing your furnace a priority. At Rodenhiser Plumbing, Heating and Air Conditioning we're happy to answer your questions. Serving the Route 495/128 area of Norfolk MA, we're always happy to help.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about furnaces and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Solutions Guide.

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