If you suspect your home’s central heating system is nearing the end of its useful service life, you should consider upgrading to a quality, high-efficiency heating system. We will discuss heating system options and factors that should be considered before committing to a purchase, but first let’s look at how you can tell a heating system is about to give up the ghost.
Obviously, if your furnace is older than 15-20 years (10-12 for a heat pump), it probably doesn’t have much life left. If it starts breaking down more often, or you’re seeing higher energy bills than in the past, those are red flags that suggest your home needs a new heating system.
Energy Efficiency
When looking at heating system options, energy efficiency is near the top of the list of factors to consider. In southwest Ohio, with our long, relatively cold winters, you’re better off investing in a high-efficiency heating system. While the initial outlay will be higher than a mid-efficiency model, the long-term savings on energy costs will more than compensate for the extra purchase price.
Sizing
Sizing is also an essential factor. If you’re buying a new central heating system, your HVAC contractor should insist upon performing a heating load calculation, which shows precisely how much heat is needed to make your home comfortable. It takes into account a variety of factors in addition to your home’s size and layout. They include location and size of windows, whether insulation is sufficient, and how airtight the home is, among other factors. This calculation will result in a recommendation for your new system’s capacity. Over- or undersizing a central heating or cooling system can cause problems, including stress on equipment, energy waste and poor performance.
Advanced Features
Your perusal of heating system options should also take into consideration available advanced features that will enhance the performance and energy efficiency of your new furnace or heat pump. Additionally, you might want to consider whole-house humidity control and/or air-cleaning with your new heating system.
To discuss upgrading your Dayton-Springfield area home’s heating system, please contact us at Ace Hardware Home Services.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Dayton, Ohio about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).
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