Install A New Furnance & Save Money

Any time you're planning to upgrade an appliance it's good practice to check out the energy specs to get an idea of the change it will make in your home. Pretty much across the board electronics have become far more efficient than they used to be, so often times an upgrade means a better heating bill.

But when comparing one furnace to another when you're shopping for a replacement, checking the Energy Guide tag can help you ascertain how much energy each will use annually. This helps you balance projected performance against energy costs and select the configuration that makes the most sense for your home.

Put another way, it's nice to know that your new system will be more efficientthan your old one. But what does that mean? Inspecting these stickers and asking questions of your HVAC service tech gives you a more accurate picture of your return on investment. And if your old unit wasn't keeping your home warm or cool enough, you'll know you're replacing it with something that will.

Also, to get the most out of your new furnace

Make sure to turn off any humidifiers you've used through colder weather if you have a central humidifier on your unit. If you're not sure, ask your HVAC professional at the next maintenance visit.

Your heating unit will not be able to air condition your home effectively if the humidifier is active (particularly since the AC does the opposite to the air). This is an important step, since when you're upgrading your furnace or heat pump the last thing you want is for the unit to be hampered.

We mention things like this here just so you know to be aware, but these are also things we handle on our service calls and whenever we install new units.

Consider a home energy audit

If your heating bill has been higher than it used to be, upgrading your equipment is definitely something to consider. However, there could be other culprits for the inefficiency, such as leaks, clogs, etc.

In some cases your furnace or heat pump are in good enough shape to continue service for a few more years, but your home needs some other maintenance for these units to be as effective as they used to be. This is one of the reasons we recommend a yearly home energy audit where we thoroughly inspect your HVAC system. If there's anything causing issues (or likely to start causing issues) we can catch them ahead of time and resolve them, often saving you money on costlier repairs later.