Upgrading Your Old Furnace

Depending on where you live and how old your home is, you may be using an outdated furnace that does not deliver the same kind of energy efficiency as newer, high tech furnaces. If this is the case for you, it may cause a few problems that you will wish to fix in order to keep your furnace in good repair and your home comfort at a proper level. This article will go on to describe the difference between many old and new furnaces and why it matters for you, when you should seek to upgrade your furnace, and what you should look for when you are shopping for a new furnace. Of course, this is only a short guide. For a more in depth discussion of these matters, call one of our representatives to learn what options are best for you, your home, and your budget.

Old vs. New

Many old furnaces have a single problem that causes a homeowner to need a replacement, and that is the fact that they will often use a chimney as their source of ventilation. It may not sound all that terrible, but if it uses a chimney, that means you will not only have to spend money to upkeep your furnace, but the chimney as well, which will end up costing you a lot more. Chimneys can often become clogged up or can be too narrow to serve as a proper source of ventilation, and you will have to maintain it whenever it becomes a hindrance to your furnace. Newer furnaces use a ventilation system that guides the fumes out the side of your home rather than through the top and need no more maintenance than you get with annual maintenance checks. Also, as technology has advanced, so has the energy efficiency of our furnaces. So even if you do not have issues with ventilation through your chimney, upgrading to a new furnace may save you more money in the long run because of how much you will save on your heating bills. 

When to Upgrade

You may be wondering at what point it is most cost efficient to spend money on a new, more efficient furnace. To find out, you may have to do a little bit of research, as you will have to find out about your current furnace to know how its performance compares to a newer one. One way to get that information is to call us and make an appointment for one of our professionals to come show you the differences you will see if you invest in one of our furnaces. Beyond that, if you know you will have to end up paying extra costs, either in chimney repairs or higher heating bills, the sooner you switch to a more efficient heating system, the more money you will have saved five years from now.

Looking for a New Furnace

After deciding to replace your old furnace with a newer model, you should consider three things when choosing the new one. First, how much money are you willing to spend on it? Second, what size furnace do you need to fit your home? Third, how energy efficient is the furnace you are considering? Consult with our professionals to get a better idea of how you can find the best furnace for you home without overextending your budget.

Improving Energy Savings in the Home

High energy prices are a concern for most people, and the majority of us would like to make more energy savings, especially during the winter months. So what is the best and most cost-effective way to do this? Most people have a regular fall maintenance schedule to prepare their home for winter. This can include a number of basic things such as checking furnaces, boilers and any other heating systems are working properly. This really isn't difficult to do, and sticking to any manufacturer required maintenance schedules or booking a regular fall furnace tune up will often be sufficient to make sure all the home appliances are working efficiently and most importantly safely. However home heating systems often operate inefficiently as they age, and signs that yours may need some attention include noticing increased energy bills, extra dust, or rooms that heat up unevenly, so you may notice cold spots developing where previously there were none.

Replacing an Old Furnace with a More Energy Efficient Model

Rather than shelling out on yet another furnace repair to keep an old system trundling along through the winter months, it might be more cost-efficient to invest in a new energy efficient model. Older boilers and heat pumps often require more energy to operate, and are less effective at providing adequate heat for home comfort. If your furnace or boiler is more than 15 years old, or if your heat pump is more than 10 years old, then it may be time to think about replacing them. This could lead to considerable energy savings, and more importantly you'll probably be pleasantly surprised at how much your home comfort improves. Modern systems are far more efficient, and can often incorporate sophisticated air cleaners and air handlers, and electronic zoning to make sure different areas of your home are heated more efficiently and comfortably. For instance you may have particular rooms in your home that you like to keep a little cooler than the main living areas, as many people prefer sleeping in a slightly cooler bedroom and this is something that can easily be done with the use of individual thermostats.

Getting Furnaces Properly Installed

It's essential not to cut corners when getting a new furnace installed, as an incorrectly installed furnace could cost you far more to run than a properly installed piece of equipment. In addition incorrectly installed heating equipment is not likely to last as long. It's definitely not something that can be done by an amateur. In addition an incorrectly installed furnace could prove unsafe for use, so it really isn't worth taking any chances.

Maintaining your New Furnace

Once you have installed a nice new furnace then it's important to keep up with any manufacturer required maintenance schedules as these may be required under the terms of the warranty. Having a regular furnace service and filter changes will help ensure your indoor air quality is the best it can be, and that your energy savings are the maximum possible. In addition regular maintenance helps ensure that your home is safe. Inefficient older appliances are far more at risk of emitting higher levels of carbon monoxide, something which could endanger your family's health.

Greener Ways to Keep Warm Over Winter

If you have been putting off your winter maintenance, now is the time to get to grips with it, and to book any manufacturer required maintenance checks, or that essential furnace service. However, all furnaces have a limited life and it could be that an essential furnace repair really isn't worth doing. You might be better off putting the money towards a new heating and cooling system. Unless your system is relatively recent, you're likely to be amazed by how much technology has advanced during the past few years, as the newest systems are able to increase home comfort while giving greater energy savings. There are quite a few different systems to choose from, as there are geothermal heating and cooling systems, solar heating and cooling systems, or hybrid systems that utilize two different fuel sources. Although the initial outlay for these types of systems may seem a little higher, homeowners will quickly realize the benefits that can be obtained from utilizing energy that is essentially free and renewable.

The Advantages of Choosing Hybrid Systems

Hybrid systems utilize an electric heat pump with some type of furnace that can be powered by gas or oil. The advantage of this type of system is that it automatically switches to the most economical fuel source, provided the system is correctly set up. The efficiency and savings offered by this system do depend upon the level of home comfort required, as some people like a warmer home than others, as well as the temperature outside and current energy prices. This may sound complicated, but really it's quite easy to setup. The basic premise of hybrid systems is that during the cooler months the system absorbs heat from the outside air to channel inside, while during the warmer months it does the reverse, channeling heat within the house to the outside, creating a cooling effect.

Advantages of Solar Heating and Cooling Systems

Solar heating and cooling systems are really quite versatile. They collect the light from the sun to transfer into a storage system so it can be used throughout the home whenever it is needed. The heat is usually collected through the use of photovoltaic panels that tend to be installed on the roofs of homes. These types of systems can be used with radiant hot water systems, boilers and heat pumps, and some people find they can meet most of their heating and cooling needs in this way. However solar heating and cooling systems do need to be properly installed to be fully effective. They also need to be properly maintained in order to make sure they are working at an optimum level.

Advantages of Geothermal Heating and Cooling Systems

Geothermal heating and cooling systems utilize the temperatures of the earth. Whereas air temperatures tend to fluctuate, the temperature underground is much more stable. A geothermal heating and cooling system will extract the warmth from the earth so it can be used to comfortably heat a home. One of the major advantages of this type of heating system is that it is quite low maintenance, and this tends to mean that geothermal heating and cooling systems will last a little longer than other types of heating systems.

Proper Humidification Can Increase Home Comfort in the winter

During the summer your home is probably well ventilated through open windows and doors, but it's quite a different story during winter when your home is sealed up as tightly as possible and the heating is on much of the time. While heating obviously improves home comfort, one of the biggest side effects is that the air can become far too dry. If the air in your house is too dry then it can create a whole host of problems for the occupants. It can increase the risk of allergies, and make it less comfortable for asthma sufferers. At the very least, you're likely to notice you have dry skin, and that your nose may be constantly irritated or more prone to sinusitis. Heating systems that force air through the ducts are especially bad for reducing the amount of moisture in the air. Choosing a system that is able to increase the amount of the humidification during winter months can lead to much greater home comfort. 

How do Humidifiers Work?

Humidifiers can work in several different ways, as they can work through evaporation, or through warm mist, or you can purchase ultrasonic humidifiers. Humidifiers that use evaporation are the most basic and simple to use, and disperse the moist air into the room using a fan blowing over a wet wick. These types of humidifiers tend to be quite loud to use due to the fan. The warm mist humidifiers boil or preheat the water before it is dispersed into the air as vapor. Some of these humidifiers incorporate the UV light to kill any germs so the moisture dispersed is free from microbes and bacteria. Ultrasonic humidifiers use high-frequency vibrations to break up the water into very fine droplets before it is sprayed into the room. These vibrations are quite effective at killing microbes. You can also purchase humidifiers that are capable of raising the moisture level throughout the whole house, and which can be adjusted to deal with both summer and winter.

Choosing the Best Humidifier for Your Home

There is a huge range of home humidifiers to choose from, as you can purchase relatively small and portable models designed to work on a tabletop or floor. These types of models need to be closely monitored as they are likely to need cleaning out regularly. One thing to check if you intend to purchase this type of model is that it is able to cope with the size of room it is intended for. It could be that you'd be better off buying a system that is able to humidify the whole house, as this will ensure the comfort of everyone living in the home.

Advantages of Having the Correct Level of Humidification in Your Home

Obviously the immediate advantage of having the correct level of the humidification in your home is that it will increase the comfort levels, and can greatly help the health of all the occupants. It'll also help the health of your home, as dry air can be quite damaging to furniture and paintings and to any wood work. If the air is too dry then these items are more at risk of cracking.