Heating Installation

How a Furnace Heats Your Home Quickly

One of the most common heating systems, a furnace heats and distributes air throughout the home, relying on supply ducts to transport this conditioned air. When the furnace is operating, the same fan that distributes heated air is also pulling cooler air back to the furnace (to be reheated) through a system of return ducts.

A furnace can burn fuel oil, natural gas, propane, wood or pellet fuel, although these last two options are far less common. Today’s natural gas furnaces use electronic ignitions. An electronic ignition makes furnaces more efficient. It turns on only when your furnace begins a heating cycle.

Understanding the Efficiency and Size of Your Furnace is Important

A furnace is measured by it’s BTU (British Thermal Unit) rating. Which is an indication of the capacity or ability of a furnace system to heat the necessary space. Most furnace manufacturers make several sizes of their models. Common sizes are 40,000-, 50,000-, 60,000-, 80,000-, and 100,000-BTU units.

AFUE refers to how efficiently the unit turns fuel into heat for the home. Modern furnaces have an AFUE rating of 90% and higher, meaning these high-efficiency units are the best at putting your energy dollars to work and can also lower energy bills.

We recommend installing the smallest, most efficient system necessary to adequately heat your home for energy savings and system efficiency.

When you have an oversized furnace installed, it can be a costly mistake. Ideal temperatures will be reached too fast and the unit won’t be as efficient. When a furnace heats your home too quickly it will short-cycle, meaning it will only give off short bursts of heat at a time. The downfall of a furnace that gives short, frequent cycles is that it causes deterioration, temperature fluctuations, shortened system life, and higher operation costs.

What Does HVAC “Efficiency Rating” Mean?

It’s important to understand how this number affects the cost of your furnace and its ongoing energy use.

When comparing energy sources for home heating, the scientific unit of measurement is the annual fuel use efficiency rating. A furnace’s AFUE rating, as it’s commonly called, refers to the ratio of how much heat output a furnace system will produce compared to the amount of energy it consumes.

For example, if a furnace is rated at 85 percent AFUE, 15 percent of the energy used is lost, and 85 percent actually becomes heat.

Federal regulations now require manufacturers to include this efficiency indicator with every new furnace sold to help consumers compare energy efficiency.

Older systems may not have a rating, or it may have been removed. However, you can often identify low-efficiency furnaces by the use of a continuous pilot light. A furnace that has a continuous pilot light will require you to relight the pilot if it goes out.

How to Choose the Right Furnace 

The type of furnace in your home depends on the type of fuel that is readily available in your area. It is possible to install a new furnace with a different source of fuel if you want.

You could easily replace an oil furnace with a propane or natural gas furnace, if you can find these fuels in your area. Gas furnaces typically cost more than oil furnaces, but have higher efficiency ratings. Alternatively, you may want to look into an electric furnace.

No matter what your furnace preference is, we can provide you with the furnace you need and supply you with our expert advise.