Choosing a new furnace can be a daunting task, so it’s helpful to learn the basics as a starting point. Choosing a system that meets your fundamental requirements will improve your long-term satisfaction and comfort.
Fuel Source
Gas furnaces and heat pumps are both energy efficient and reliable ways to heat your home. If your cooling and heating system needs replacing simultaneously, a heat pump could be an attractive option since they perform well year-round in this mild winter climate.
However, gas furnaces offer some advantages over heat pumps, primarily in their ability to provide fast, dependable heating, regardless of outdoor temperatures. Heat pumps use the heat in the outdoor air, and as temperatures drop close to freezing, there’s less heat available and it takes them longer to maintain warm temperatures.
Size
Insist that the contractor you work with performs a load calculation using Manual J software to accurately size the new system. Oversized furnaces and heat pumps don’t run long enough during a cycle to thoroughly heat all parts of the home. One that’s too small may run in cycles longer than the manufacturer intended, which stresses the system.
Energy Efficiency
A heat pump has two energy efficiency ratings. The first is its cooling efficiency, known as its SEER (seasonal energy efficiency ratio) rating. The second, its HSPF (heating season performance factor), indicates how much heat it produces based on its energy consumption. The minimum SEER for a new heat pump stands at 14 and its HSPF must be 8.2.
A gas furnace carries an AFUE (annual fuel utilization efficiency) rating that starts at 80 and reaches nearly 100. The AFUE indicates how much of the fuel it uses goes toward heat versus how much is wasted as vapor goes up the chimney. Since the heating season in the desert is so short, opting for a system with basic to moderate efficiency makes sense.
The experts at Hansberger Refrigeration and Electric Company can help you select the right furnace or heat pump for your home. We’ve provided trusted HVAC services for Yuma homeowners since 1952.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Yuma, Arizona about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).
Credit/Copyright Attribution: “new-photo/Shutterstock”