So you’ve decided to upgrade your home’s furnace. What now? To make sure your new furnace will provide optimum heating at a reasonable cost for years to come, take the time to consider several important factors involved with a furnace installation. They include:
Energy efficiency — Furnaces come in different efficiency levels – meaning some convert more fuel into heat than others. As heating efficiency rises toward the maximum of 100 percent, furnace systems cost more to install but result in lower energy bills. Canada requires most residential furnaces to have a minimum AFUE (Annualized Fuel Utilization Efficiency) level of 90 percent. In cold winter climates such as Alberta, it doesn’t take long for monthly energy savings to pay for the higher cost of a highly efficient furnace.
Sizing — It’s important for any central heating or cooling system to be sized for the home where it’s being installed. A furnace technician will calculate your home’s heating load, taking into account the home’s size and layout, energy efficiency and other factors. Once that’s done, the new furnace can be properly sized. A furnace that’s too big or too small will not perform efficiently or effectively, and may be prone to breakdowns.
Advanced features — Discuss available energy-saving features with your HVAC technician. The most valuable is variable-speed, multi-stage operation, which allows the furnace to adjust its speed and operation to current needs in your home.
To discuss a furnace installation in your Calgary area home, please contact us at Arpi’s Industries. We’ll help you find the right furnace for your home.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Calgary, Alberta about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about furnace installation and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Guide.
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