How to Choose a Furnace

Replacing your old furnace may reduce heating bills.

Advances in heating technology have made furnaces efficient in comparison to older units. If your furnace system is more than 15 years old, you may be due for an upgrade. New furnaces will help reduce your heating bills; but only if you get the correct one for your home. The wrong size unit for your home will cause it to burn fuel inefficiently and cause the motor to run constantly. If in doubt, call out a heating professional to your home to help in the decision process.

Instructions

1. Choose the kind of fuel you wish to use for the furnace. If you already have a furnace that you wish to upgrade, consider using the same fuel to reduce installation costs.

2. Check the total energy consumption for the home over a three-month period. Add up the energy consumption of other appliances in the household and subtract it from the total to get the energy consumption of the current furnace. Use this figure to find the energy output needed from the new furnace.

3. Inspect furnace models at the store for an Energy Star or EnerGuide sticker to find the fuel efficiency of the unit. A grading system with a key is on the sticker to help you determine heating costs with the unit.

4. Look for furnaces with a variable-speed fan for better fuel efficiency.

References

• Natural Resources Canada: Choosing the Right Condensing Furnace
• Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation: Replacing Your Furnace