10 Tips To Buying A New Furnace

It always happens at the worst time. Your furnace goes out in the middle of the night in the coldest part of the year. Don’t worry – most of us have been there. You end up calling a furnace repair service and are told that you need a new furnace. However, by doing a little homework, you may be able to save your self a little money in the process. Here are 10 things to think about when you purchase a new furnace for your home.

1. Make sure you are buying the correct size furnace for your home. A furnace that is too large with cycle itself on and off more than it needs to. This cycling will definitely impact your monthly heating costs and not in a good way. A good heating repair company will be able to calculate what size furnace you need by taking into consideration the size of your house, the insulation levels in your home, and windows.
2. Make sure your existing equipment (like thermostats and duct work) will work with your new furnace. Otherwise, you may have some surprise additional expenses you weren’t planning for.
3. Don’t just buy on the upfront price. I know, you are saying why not! The reason is that high efficiency furnaces often cost more. However, you will get a return on your investment with lower monthly heating bills. As long as you plan on living in your home for the next 5 to 10 years, you should recoup the additional expense. Plus, you are helping to save the environment.
4. Try and replace your furnace in the off-season. I know that this isn’t always possible. However, in the off season (spring and fall), you may be able to get better deals and your furnace repair service will have more time and flexibility.
5. If you are changing out the type of furnace you have, make sure you factor in the costs of the changes you will need to make. If you are changing from propane or other gas to electric, you may need an upgrade in your electrical system. A change to propane or oil will require you to add a storage tank.
6. Rebates. Everybody likes to save money, and often times, there are rebate programs for furnaces. Manufacturers and distributors may also have special incentives too. Another thing to look into is if there are any tax rebates available. Depending on where you live, your utility company may also rebates and incentives on new furnace installations.
7. Reliability of brand. Cheap doesn’t always mean reliable, and there is nothing worse than making a large purchase like a furnace and having to spend a fortune in furnace repairs. Check online for others’ thoughts for the brand of furnace you are looking at. Ask your friends and neighbors what kind of furnace they have and what they think of it.
8. Check out the available features. For example, some furnaces will only be a single-speed – full blast. Since it only has one speed, your furnace will stop and start more often to keep a home at a constant temperature. There are also two speed furnaces too — low and high. It is easier to maintain a constant temperature with this. Lastly, there are even variable-speed furnaces too. These are the most energy-efficient furnaces, because their energy usage adjusts based on what is needed. You can also add air purifiers to keep away allergens, and a humidifier to help in monitoring the moisture level. You have to decide which features you want the most and if they are worth the increased cost.
9. Check out the warranty on the furnace you are wanting to purchase. Every furnace has a different warranty time and often times don’t cover labor costs (which often times cost more than the part!)
10. Consider hiring the professionals to do this job for you. Granted, it is going to cost you more. However, you can void some warranties by doing it yourself. Also, if you install your furnace incorrectly, you could take away some if it’s efficiency, and worst case, allow carbon monoxide into your home. This is also a time consuming do it yourself job especially if you don’t know what you are doing.

Buying a new furnace doesn’t have to be a scary expensive endeavor. By using these tips, you can take some of the stress off your new furnace purchase and maybe even save a few bucks! Call 312-243-9896!