You can hear the tell-tale shuffling during the cold winter months: your furnace is on its last leg. Whether you’ve had your furnace for years or repairs simply aren’t enough anymore, getting a new furnace can make your home more comfortable. But because heating systems have a long life cycle, it’s probably been a while since you last went furnace shopping. What do you need to consider when you’re picking out a new furnace for your house? Wasn’t there something about stages you needed to remember? We’ve created an essential list of everything you need to know to help you find the perfect furnace.

Six Steps for Finding the Best New Furnace for Your Home

1. Consider Your Budget

Different systems and conveniences will cost more than others. Give yourself a reasonable budget and determine your priorities. Do you have your new home office next to the boiler room where you can hear the furnace turning on and off? If so, it might be worth it to allocate a little more to get a near-silent furnace.

2. Look at Different Types of Furnaces

There are three main types of furnaces: single-stage, two-stage, and modulating. Single-stage furnaces are the most common type of furnace in homes. These systems have one flame that is either fully on or fully off. The flame in the two-stage furnace type has two sizes, letting it fluctuate between large and small depending on the temperature. Two-stage furnaces run more continuously than their single-stage counterparts. For even more precise heating, you might like a modulating furnace. You can adjust the flame strength, which lets you keep as close to your set temperature as possible.

3. Choose Your Preferred System

Now that you know the three basic types of furnaces, you can narrow down your search with system types. Furnaces can run on gas, electricity, or propane. Gas furnaces are the most popular system because they’re very economical. A gas furnace intakes cold air, cleans it, heats it with a gas burner, and distributes it through your home’s ductwork. Electric furnaces work in a similar way but use a heat exchanger to warm up the air and a blower to push the air through ductwork. Propane systems are smaller, so they fit into places that gas and electric furnaces can’t. Additionally, propane furnaces are a good choice if your area sees regular power outages.

a. Pick Your Gas Furnace Efficiency Range

If you decide to go with a gas furnace, you’ll want to take a look at the AFUE. The Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE) is a rating of how efficiently a gas furnace can convert gas into heat. The higher the AFUE is, the more efficient the furnace is. Furnaces between 90 and 97 are high-efficiency furnaces, while mid-efficiency furnaces range from 78 to about 83.

4. Determine the Right Size

Finding the right size of furnace ensures better heating and lower utility bills. You can get a rough idea of the furnace size you’ll need by factoring in the square footage of your house, the climate you live in, and window insulation quality. Local HVAC experts can help you figure out which furnace size would work best for your home.

5. Think About Additional Costs

When you get a new furnace, the price typically includes parts and labor. However, installing a new furnace might also include some extra costs. You may need to update your ductwork, vents, and chimney to make them compatible with the new furnace. If you have to make any replacements to these heating components, you’ll need to factor them into the overall price of your furnace installation.

6. Check for Rebates

Energy-efficient furnaces often qualify for a rebate or two. Check for local, state, and manufacturer rebates to help you get the best price for your furnace. See F.H. Furr Instant Savings page to help you find some great deals.

Work with F.H. Furr for Your New Furnace Installation

If you need to get a new furnace, these six steps will help you find the best options for your home. When you need a professional to find the right size of furnace or to install your new furnace, choose F.H. Furr! We provide the highest quality equipment and services at the best rates in Delmarva. Contact us to schedule an appointment today!