Furnace Buying Tips: Must-Read Before Buying A New Furnace
15 Must-Know Furnace Buying Tips That'll Give You An Advantage
By: For Saving Heating And Cooling
Have you ever found yourself in shock when your energy bill arrives?
If you ever wondered where all the surprising charges came from, it's most likely time you seriously think about either calling a furnace repair company and getting a furnace tune-up or upgrading to a new high-energy efficiency system.
But before you jump the gun and buy the first thing you see, do your research.
Below we highlight 15 furnace buying tips that'll put you in a powerful position where you can make the right decision for yourself and your family.
Let's get into it!
Furnace buying tip 1: New is always better, high efficiency is the key
Do you know how old your home furnace is?
Because when it comes to heating systems, age does matter.
If your furnace is more than 20 years old, it's costing you almost 50% more than it actually should.
This also means you're burning more energy.
There is a thing called AFUE (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency rating) where furnaces are all rated with a specific rating, and this is one thing you should consider when thinking about replacing your furnace with a new one.
Furnace buying tip 2: The importance of high efficiency
Make sure you always opt for a furnace that has higher efficiency.
At the end of the day, the main reason why you are replacing your old furnace with a new one is to take control of your gas bill.
One of the latest high-efficiency furnaces that we install is proven to be high in efficiency can help you save up to 70% on your heating and cooling bill annually in comparison to older furnaces.
Basically, in the long run, the newer furnace can help you save and make your home cozier all while operating more quietly.
This is why you should aim towards having a furnace that has a 95% rating and is ENERGY STAR certified.
And of course, remember that to qualify for the government rebate, the furnace you are planning to install has to be at least 96% efficient.
Furnace buying tip 3: When is it time to replace your furnace?
If you are interested in maximizing your savings in the long run, you would want to get rid of your old furnace and replace it with a new one as soon as possible.
And if the winter is just around the corner, then it is better to do it sooner rather than later, and do it in a way that would not affect your finances as much as you think it would.
We suggest getting in touch with a furnace installation company near you so that they could provide you with a full deal on an HVAC system.
This HVAC deal usually includes is a humidifier, air conditioner, air filtration system, and a Heat Recovery Ventilator.
From an installation point of view, this makes things a lot easier.
Now if your furnace is not working at an optimal level and needs repairs...
It's better to make the full upgrade replacement instead of paying for repairs, especially if your furnace is 8 years or older, because the costs are generally high and you're better off with the upgrade.
And rebates.
There are some pretty generous rebates out there for those who are willing to replace their furnace with a new one, so make sure you take advantage of them before they expire.
Furnace buying tip 4: An annual what?
Let us go back a step.
The AFUE is considered a rough percentage of energy that your furnace is transforming into heat during the year.
It is well known that the older furnaces convert only 65% of all the energy, meaning that almost half of the amount is wasted and it also means you are wasting a lot more money!
To compare, the newer furnaces are about 98% efficient, which means you get the full amount of what you pay for regarding your heating bill.
Furnace buying tip 5: Make sure to choose a contractor that is registered for full government rebate programs
When we are talking about the full government rebate programs, what you need to make sure of in the first place is that you are choosing a contractor that is registered for this particular program.
Make sure you do all your reading and familiarize yourself with every step of the process, including how to choose a contractor that you would benefit the most from.
Remember that not all of the heating companies are actually registered to provide this type of service, so make sure to have that in writing before you proceed with the choice you make.
Here at For Saving Heating And Cooling, we do the application process for our customers so they don't have to go through the learning curve aches and pains.
Furnace buying tip 6: Check out all financing options
All right, let’s talk finances.
When it comes to taking care of the finances, you can pay for a new furnace or your new AC with a timely set schedule that works best for you.
What you need to think about is whether you wish to pay upfront (this means to make the payment as soon as the furnace is installed) or you wish to spread the payment out throughout a year, maybe two years (depending on what suits you best).
The best thing here is that there are always various options for payment.
The first option is regular financing, which will allow you to determine the number of years between one and fifteen that would be your limit for paying off the furnace, including some flexible payments every month that you can choose from.
The other option is what we call rent to own option.
This is a bit different from the first option because it doesn’t generally require credit approval and it offers full coverage. This means you would not have to worry about paying for any repairs for the long term, which is usually about 10 years.
Furnace buying tip 7: No matter how affordable it is, you still have to find the best option for you
Okay, so there is a difference from one furnace to another, and once you have decided to replace your furnace, how to determine which one would be the best option for you?
Ask yourself, do you require the best furnace there is?
The most expensive one?
The answer is that, when it comes to being fully objective while choosing a furnace, there is not a real difference in efficiency from one furnace to another.
Just make sure to remember that, while people will insist that the efficiency of the furnace is mostly connected to the brand, the actual thing you would need to take care of is that there is a proper installation which would be done by a licensed and an experienced professional.
Furnace buying tip 8: The reliability of the furnace is divided – 60% furnace installation and 40% brand
In addition to that, there are plenty of brands to choose from when you are looking for a new furnace.
The one thing you need to remember is that it doesn't mean anything if the installation of the furnace is not done by a professional.
If you choose an unreliable contractor and receive a bad installation, you will have a higher chance of encountering some issues in the long run, and you can even have your furnace red-tagged by the company that provides for your gas.
This means that the company can shut off your gas supply after seven days if the furnace you own is not up to code.
The thing you need to be focusing on the most while getting a new furnace in terms of long-term reliability is the quality installation process.
Make sure that you choose a certified TSSA contractor so you can free your mind of any doubts, whether your gas furnace was installed wrong or right.
Also, you would have to make sure that the company you choose can offer you a one-year warranty.
You would not want to use a company that does not stand behind their work.
Remember: no matter how good the furnace is, the one thing you want to focus on is the quality installation.
Furnace buying tip 9: Beware of the reviews from customers online
We can thank the Internet for this one since whenever we want to try a product we go online and search for all the reviews we can find.
Nevertheless, the downside to this is that, for every brand that you research, you will find both good and bad reviews.
This can easily elongate the decision-making process.
There will always be some good and some bad reviews that could easily cloud your judgment, so the best thing to do would be to cross that bridge when you get to it and put your focus on quality furnace installation.
Furnace buying tip 10: Talk to the professionals
Of course, you do not have to go through the entire process alone!
You can look to furnace installation companies near you and get quotes from one or two places and talk to people who have experience in the subject.
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