Older furnaces typically need costly maintenance and repairs as they age, so it’s often more economical to simply buy a new unit, especially if your existing furnace is more than 15 years old. Purchasing a new furnace for your Yuma-area home is a significant financial investment, however, and the thought of furnace replacement can induce no small amount of anxiety. Here are some simple tips to ease your anxiety and help you find a furnace to keep your house warm during southwest Arizona’s short but chilly heating season.
- Sizing: Have your heating contractor inspect your home to determine what size furnace you need. A model that’s not large enough will not provide enough heat, while a unit that’s too large will have a high initial expense, provide uneven heating and waste energy. The contractor will calculate the proper size of your new furnace by assessing your home’s heating load, looking at such factors as the size, design and airtightness of your home.
- Efficiency: Furnaces that burn fuel more efficiently save money on energy costs, though the savings are directly connected to how much they’re used during a heating season. A rating system called annual fuel utilization efficiency, or AFUE, ranks furnaces on their energy efficiency, with models in the 90-100 percent AFUE range considered high efficiency. These furnaces cost more, though they provide more energy savings. You’ll need to decide whether paying more for a 96 percent AFUE furnace, for example, will reap sufficient savings during our relatively short and mild winters.
- Choices: Make sure your heating professional gives you a selection of several models to choose from in a range of AFUE rankings. Have him calculate the annual estimated cost of operating each model.
The thought of furnace replacement doesn’t have to create stomach-churning anxiety or lead to buyer’s regret. Picking a new unit is relatively straightforward, once you’re armed with a little knowledge.
For more information on selecting a new furnace and other issues related to home comfort, please contact us at Hansberger Refrigeration and Electric Company. We have served the Yuma area since 1952.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Yuma, Arizona about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about furnaces and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
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