Three Things to Know About Your New Furnace Before Installation Day

Before you have a furnace installed in your home, it helps to double and triple check major parts of your new system. Knowing exactly what size furnace you'll need, what kind of duct system you want to use, and any extra features you want to be installed along with your system can help the installation process go smoothly.

What Size You Need

Furnaces come in different sizes, which basically means they have different amounts of area they are capable of keeping warm. A furnace designed for a small home will struggle to keep a larger home warm, and a furnace designed for a large home will cycle on and off too quickly if installed in a smaller home.

One of the ways you can establish what size you need is by using a calculator. These calculators typically use factors like the square footage of your home, whether you have vaulted ceilings or not, and the climate of the area you live in to determine what size you need. If nothing else, it can give you a good estimate if you don't otherwise know.

When in doubt, ask a furnace conductor to inspect your home personally to give you a definitive answer before you make your purchase.

What Ducts You'll Use

What types of ducts you end up using can be impacted by the age and size of your house. Traditional ducts will fit into many attics and under floors and are typically a more economical option that comes standard with many HVAC systems. If your home is old, has thin walls, or has little attic space, you might benefit from something called a mini-duct system. Rather than large metal ducts, mini ducts look like small tubes not much larger than drain pipes.

The benefit to these ducts is that they fit in more places, are more flexible, and lose less air than traditional ducts. However, they can also cost more than traditional ducts, so check with your contractor and see if they would be a good fit for your home, as well as how they might affect your budget.

What Extras You Want

Modern heating systems benefit from several types of additions that can make your home more comfortable and convenient. One example is a smart thermostat, which can do everything from let you set schedules for when you want your heater to run. It can also give you voice control over your thermostat so it can give you weather reports. Smart thermostats also make your heating system more energy-efficient, which can make the up-front cost well worth your money.

Another example is a zoning system for your home. A zoning system works by using dampers in your ducts to better control the airflow, which lets you set different temperatures for different zones in your house. Ask your contractor what they have available, and what might be a good fit for your home and lifestyle.

For more tips about furnace installation in your home, contact a local business near you.

Share