If it’s time to replace your home’s heating equipment and you’re looking for an energy efficient alternative, consider a variable-speed furnace. With this type of furnace, the blower motor responsible for pushing warm air through the ducting can vary its speed incrementally, which allows the thermostat to precisely control heat output and reduce energy consumption.
How Variable-Speed Technology Enhances Energy Efficiency
A conventional blower motor has just two speeds; on and off. Whenever the indoor temperature drops below the thermostat’s temperature setting, the blower fan cycles on at 100 percent output. Once the temperature setting is satisfied, the blower shuts off and the cycle repeats.
In contrast, a variable-speed unit continuously assesses the amount of heat output needed, and its highly-efficient electronically-commutated motor (ECM) runs at the lowest fan speed necessary to maintain your desired comfort level. Intelligent variable-speed technology can curb a furnace’s electricity consumption significantly, and it also pairs well with energy-wise options like smart thermostats and zoning systems for even greater efficiency.
In addition to energy savings, a variable-speed furnace can bring you some other significant benefits:
- Greater comfort. Variable-speed blower motors run for long cycles on low but can automatically increase fan speed to compensate for factors that affect comfort, like ductwork restrictions, long ducting runs or a dirty air filter. The result is a more comfortable home with fewer temperature variations or hot and cold spots.
- Better air quality. Because a variable-speed furnace cycles for longer periods, the air supply in your home gets pulled through the HVAC system’s air handler more often. If your system is equipped with a UV light air purifier or electronic air cleaner, this can help boost your indoor air quality by removing more allergens, pollutants and odors.
- Quiet operation. Whisper-quiet variable-speed blower motors run on the lowest speed setting about two-thirds of the time and ramp up gradually when necessary, so there’s no frequent noisy “bang” of the fan starting up.
For more information on how a variable-speed furnace can save energy in your Yuma home, contact us today at Hansberger Refrigeration and Electric Company.
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 variable-speed furnaces and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Guide or call us at 928-723-3183.
Credit/Copyright Attribution: “Kinsei/Shutterstock”
