Buying a new furnace may seem like a daunting task. With so many options available on the market, you may not know what to look for when purchasing your new furnace. A great furnace can last for several decades, so you should do everything in your power to buy the very best for your home. Do you want gas or electric, single-stage or two-stage?
Our team at Genuine Comfort has several tips you should follow when looking for a new furnace for your home that should make the purchasing process much easier. If you are in the market for a new furnace but are not sure where to begin, continue reading to learn about how to determine which is best for you.
Consumer Reports’ Role In Finding Your New Furnace
Consumer Reports is a non-profit organization founded in 1936 that works with consumers to determine the value, quality, and authenticity of goods. When it was first founded, the organization was important because it was more difficult to determine the quality of products on the market.
Now, Consumer Reports is seen as one of the most trustworthy, unbiased sources of information available to consumers. The organization performs independent research and testing to ensure that every product they recommend is worth your money. It also ensures companies are constantly trying to improve products to receive Consumer Reports’ seal of approval.
When looking for your new furnace, it is important that you look for a furnace that has received the approval of Consumer Reports because you will know it is worth your money and will best serve your needs. They dedicate their time to this research, making the buying process much easier for homeowners. If you don’t follow the advice of Consumer Reports, there is a chance you may purchase a knockoff furnace.
Should You Buy A Gas Or Electric Furnace?
When thinking about purchasing your new furnace, you may wonder whether you should get a gas or electric furnace. There are certainly benefits and drawbacks to each of these options that you should consider before making this investment. Both gas and electric furnaces have a lifespan of 15 to 20 years. However, as it gets older, a gas furnace becomes less efficient, making it slightly less appealing to homeowners.
Electric furnaces are less expensive for homeowners to maintain, making them appealing. However, they are also more expensive to run, so the cost may even out over time. If you are concerned with the risk of carbon monoxide leaks, an electric furnace is a better option for your home. However, if you live in a cold place and are seeking a furnace that warms your home quickly, a gas furnace is better.
What Is A Single-Stage Furnace?
The most common furnace on the market is a single-stage furnace. As the name may suggest, a single-stage furnace only has one setting. It is either heating your home or it is turned off. There is no in-between setting. When a single-stage furnace is on, it burns at the highest flame setting. It will continue to burn until your home reaches the desired temperature.
When it reaches this temperature, the system will turn off and will only turn on again when it detects a temperature drop again. If your new furnace is a single-stage furnace, it will make a rev-up sound before the device turns on. The benefit of a single-stage furnace is the lower upfront cost, though it may not warm a multi-story home well.
What Is A Two-Stage Furnace?
Two-stage furnaces are designed to be much more energy efficient than single-stage furnaces. These systems contain dual flames. While the temperature in your home is milder, the smaller flame burns continuously. However, when the temperature drops, the larger flame turns on and begins to warm the home more quickly.
These systems are more expensive than single-stage furnaces to install. However, because they are more energy efficient than single-stage furnaces, they are less expensive to run because they keep your home more consistently heated. They are also much quieter because of this consistent heating. Because of their lower energy cost, you should definitely consider this system when buying your new furnace.
Understanding Government Rebates
When looking for your new furnace, you should check with your state or city’s local utility company. Many of these companies offer government rebates for purchasing a new, more energy-efficient furnace for your home. There are many tax rebates available to homeowners who purchase new furnaces that may save you several thousand dollars a year on your home’s heating and cooling bill. They offer these rebates with the intention of bringing down homeowner’s energy use throughout the state.
What Genuine Comfort Recommends
At Genuine Comfort, we have a couple of recommendations for your new furnace. When looking for the best furnace on the market, we recommend looking at Trane, American Standard, or Carrier brand furnaces to have the most reliable system in your home.
If you are looking for a new furnace for your home, we recommend an 80% or 96% two-stage furnace to keep your home feeling comfortable through the winter months. If you are struggling to find the best furnace for your home, reach out to our team, and we can help you find one that will best fit your space.
Caring For Your New Furnace With Genuine Comfort
Whether your new furnace is a single- or two-stage system, gas or electric, our team at Genuine Comfort is here to help you care for it for years to come. When you make the investment in a new device, you want to ensure you do everything in your power to keep it functioning at its greatest efficiency possible. Genuine Comfort is confident that our experience makes us the best company to help you maintain your new system.
If you are interested in scheduling a maintenance appointment with us or would like to speak with a member of our team about the additional services we provide homeowners, contact us today.
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