A Guide for Finding the Right Furnace

When the time hits to replace an old heating system, finding the right furnace that can keep your home comfortable, delivers reasonable utility costs and is within budget are key factors in such an important decision that will affect your household for many winters.

The first step in choosing the right furnace is to select the most appropriate power source; although other heating systems besides traditional gas and electric furnace models are available, like geothermal technologies, here we will focus on the most common types such as gas and electric furnaces.

Here are the pros and cons for natural gas powered furnaces compared to electric models:

  • More efficient operational costs, delivering lower utility bills and a smaller carbon footprint.
  • Ability to warm indoor spaces rapidly, because gas furnaces reach higher temperatures than electric models.
  • Has a shorter lifespan and a higher price tag with a more complicated installation process.
  • Produces small amounts of carbon monoxide and households with a gas- burning appliance of any type should be equipped with at least one carbon monoxide detector placed near each gas burning device.

Selecting an electric furnace model provides these advantages and disadvantages when compared to gas powered units:

  • Offers a lower initial investment cost and a simpler installation process.
  • Carries simplified maintenance requirements and a longer lifespan.
  • Has no carbon monoxide emissions which can pose a risk to your family members.
  • Has higher utility costs which can lead to a net economic loss over the lifespan of your electric furnace.

Additionally, proper sizing of all furnace types is important for a comfortable home and optimal system performance. Units that are too large tend to cycle on and off frequently, reducing your furnace lifespan as well as creating hot and cold areas within your home, while undersized units can’t deal with the heating demands during colder months of the year.

Homeowners in the Austin area seeking help finding the right furnace can contact Airtron Heating & Air Conditioning, where we have been serving customers for over decades!

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