Shopping for a High Efficiency Natural Gas Furnace?

The thought of snow, cold and blowing winds lead to thoughts of warm blankets, furnaces and glowing fires. Most of us take our home heating and air conditioning system for granted. Until it breaks, that is. Then all we can think about is immediate relief.

The size of your home will dictate the size of the furnace needed. The two most common household furnaces are combustion and condensation.

How Furnaces Work:
Utilizing gravity to allow the warmer air in the top of a building to slowly displace the cooler air downwards through a complex series of vents and ductwork passages, air conditioning and heating installation engineers must design a system that utilizes both gravity and forced air to move warmer or cooler air to wherever its needed for comfort. At the furnace, cool air passes into the furnace, usually through an air filter, through the blower, then through the heat exchanger of the furnace, whence it is blown throughout the building.

High Efficiency Furnaces
There are several types of furnaces available but I recommend a High Efficiency furnace. Unless you have a particular need for another heat source ( Electric Furnaces , Mini-Duct Systems, Corn Stoves, Wood Stoves, etc.), generally speaking, the High Efficiency furnace is the way to go. High Efficiency furnaces are convenient, affordable, quiet, and of course very efficient.

Two-speed units and variable-capacity high efficiency furnaces generally operate at lower noise levels, run for longer periods of time, give better circulation and maintain a more consistent temperature in the house. Professionals believe that high efficiency natural gas furnaces are the perfect fit for any home.

Buying a High Efficiency Furnace
A free estimate for the purchase and installation of a new heating and air conditioning system is available through most HVAC dealers. Here are a few pointers when shopping for a New Furnace and A/C unit:

- Check Angies list for reputable HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) companies in your area if you dont already have an HVAC company you are working with and trust.
- If replacing a furnace, do not simply go with a model that is similar to the old one.
- Request a load calculation before choosing the furnace for your home. Your Heating and Cooling Contractor will provide this for you which will in turn help you make better buying decisions.
- A new high efficiency furnace will help keep you from receiving higher and higher energy bills every month.
- Choosing a brand of furnace that has a history of quality and reliability can be less costly in the long run.
- Determine the level of efficiency that will save you the most money.

Shop around, become familiar with the various brands of furnaces and get a few quotes to insure you get the best price.

Are You Due for a New Furnace?

Here is an excerpt of an article with tips regarding buying a furnace in Minnesota.

Buying a furnace in Minnesota

With a little research, buying a new furnace does not need to be difficult. Here are a few suggestions which Duct-911.com recommends when shopping for a New Heating and Cooling System:

- Choose a heating and cooling system that has the best costs with the features you feel are most important.
- When buying a new furnace, you might want to consider installing a humidifier at the same time. Proper humidity reduces heating costs by stopping wood shrinkage, which reduces cold air infiltration around door and window frames. In turn, you'll feel warm at lower temperatures.
- Choosing a brand of furnace that has a history of quality and reliability can be less costly in the long run.
- When purchasing a furnace consider the furnace noise level. Unfortunately, all furnaces do not come with a standard rating system for sound unlike heat pumps and air conditioners.