How to Choose High Efficiency Furnace Replacement and Service in Your Local Area of Montgomery County PA

Furnace Replacement and Service in Montgomery County PA

A new furnace is a big expense. But if you can look beyond the sticker price, you’ll find that high efficiency furnaces offer a great return on your investment over their lifetime. They also save you money on your gas bills and help reduce your carbon footprint.

Furnaces are rated by how much heat they can pump out in an hour. This metric is called BTUs. When selecting a new furnace, you want to make sure that it can match or exceed the BTUs of your existing unit. However, there are many other factors that go into choosing a new furnace that will not only match but exceed the performance of your old one.

Furnace Repair Service in Montgomery County PA

The first factor to consider is the sizing of your home. A furnace that is sized too small will run all the time, driving up your energy costs and shortening the life of the unit. Furnaces that are sized too large will short cycle, meaning they start and stop frequently. This wastes gas and also creates a lot of noise.

Another factor is the location of the furnace in your home. A vented furnace in a basement is a good choice because combustion byproducts (like carbon monoxide) can be vent out the home rather than into the living space. A non-vented furnace in a crawl space or attic, on the other hand, presents a significant safety risk from open combustion and needs to be installed with a special system that allows for both intake and exhaust.

Furnace Installation Services in Montgomery County PA

In the case of a vented space, it may not be worth it to replace your 80% furnace with a 95% unit. Instead, it would be more cost effective to invest in a two-stage unit with variable air flow for greater efficiency gains and better comfort.

You will also need to take into consideration your heating needs and the energy prices in your area. A good rule of thumb is to choose a high-efficiency furnace if you plan on staying in your home for ten years or more. Over this period, the increased efficiency and lower heating costs will easily pay for the difference in purchase cost. In addition, you may be able to get rebates from your local and state governments or your utility company that will lower the purchase and installation costs of a high efficiency furnace. A well-maintained high efficiency furnace will last 25 or more years. Regular furnace maintenance service in Montgomery County PA and changing the filter as recommended will keep your furnace running at peak efficiency.