Furnaces are essential for the coming cold weather. You know it is time to replace your furnace when it begins showing signs of its age. Here are factors you should watch out for, including:
- – Old age — the average life span of an HVAC system is about 12 years
- – Mechanical sounds like rattling, clunking, or humming
- – Air from ducts is colder or the furnace takes a long time to heat up
- – Energy bills are higher than usual
- – Air is dusty or you find dirt particles around the home
Buying a new furnace can be a daunting prospect. You need to figure out how to pay for a system that could run up to $2,000 depending on the size of the home. For those who require no credit needed financing, flexible lease-purchase programs can provide HVAC financing.
When using lease-purchase programs for HVAC financing, the leasing company purchases the furnace on your behalf. The leasing company then leases the furnace to you for a flat, recurring fee. These finance options provide predictability in your monthly expenses and allow you to avoid paying too much all at once.
When selecting a furnace, there are many options to consider. Here are three considerations when selecting a furnace:
Efficiency
Efficiency is a top consideration when furnace shopping. Not only will a high-efficiency furnace cost less to operate, but it will also maintain a steady temperature more easily.
Energy Star labels show the estimated annual cost of running the furnace. Energy Star is a partnership between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Department of Energy, manufacturers, and testing labs to provide consumers with the information they need to make environmentally responsible decisions. The lower the number, the less it will cost to run the furnace.
Although high-efficiency furnaces may cost more initially, HVAC financing can spread out the cost over a period of time. Moreover, the increased acquisition cost may end up being offset in the long run by the reduced operation cost. In fact, an energy-efficient furnace can save as much as $115 per year in operating costs.
Size
Size, or capacity, defines the output of the furnace. Larger homes require furnaces that are capable of putting out higher volumes of hot air. Capacity is usually expressed in “BTUs” which stands for British thermal units. A higher number of BTUs means more energy.
Furnaces have both an input capacity and an output capacity. Generally speaking, furnaces with a higher output capacity also have a higher input capacity. This makes sense since a furnace that puts out more heat will also consume more energy.
A furnace that is too small for your home size will not put out enough heat to keep the home warm. A furnace that is too large for your home size will heat up your home but will be a gas (or heating oil) guzzler. Picking the right furnace size for your home’s square footage will give you a furnace that can adequately heat up your home without burning more gas or heating oil than necessary to accomplish it.
Control
Although not part of the furnace, you might want to consider replacing your thermostat when you replace your furnace. Programmable thermostats allow you to customize the heating cycle of your heating system. That way, energy is not wasted heating the home when you are away. For example, programmable thermostats can be set to turn on the furnace before you wake, warming up the home while you get ready for work. The thermostat can then turn down the heat while you are away at work, saving the energy (and money) used to heat the home. In this manner, programmable thermostats can save up to $180 per year.
Buying a furnace can increase both the safety and comfort of your home. HVAC financing options, such as lease-purchase programs, can make buying a furnace possible. Contact Okinus today when you want to transform your home.
