Furnace Replacement Can Be Overwhelming If You Haven’t Done Your Homework

There are several reasons why you might be considering furnace replacement. Your old furnace could be costing you too much in repairs, you could be spending too much in fuel costs, or you could be worried about health and safety issues.

The good news is modern furnaces are extremely energy efficient, will save you money year after year in fuel costs, and are considerably safer then their older counterparts. There are also federal tax credits as well as incentives and rebates offered by many utilities and manufacturers.

The two most common options for  furnace replacement  are gas furnaces and oil. Among other options are using a boiler, heat pump, radiant heating or baseboard heaters.

Some new features to look for in modern furnaces are sealed combustion, where the furnaces burner is sealed from household air thus protecting you from carbon monoxide poisoning. Also, dual heat exchangers and variable speed blowers improve the uniform heating of your home. They reduce noise while delivering continuous heat with fewer drafts and temperature swings.

When you’re researching furnace replacement, bear in mind that you are also purchasing installation as well. Make sure your installer is NATE (North American Technician Excellence) certified so their skills are current, ask if ACCA (Air Conditioning Contractors of America) standards are being used, and as most installers will give a free estimate, spend some time shopping around.

A qualified licensed installer should begin by calculating your home’s heating load. These calculations take into account the climate, as well as size, design and construction of your home. Once the heating load is ascertained, the contractor can recommend the proper size furnace for your home. A well-sized and installed furnace will last anywhere from 10-18 years so make sure the installation is done right the first time.

If you have any questions or concerns about furnace replacement or other issues related to home comfort, please contact us at Rinaldi’s Energy Solutions. We’ve been proudly serving the Orlando area and Central Florida since 1969.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Orlando, Florida and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about furnace replacement and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

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