By: Brian Schutt
When you’re at the place of comparing the high-efficiency furnace and standard-efficiency furnace, you’re likely about to make an important decision for your home. It’s not exactly paper vs. plastic, where the ramifications are limited. We could be talking thousands of dollars on equipment and even more on the operation of that equipment.
The two models above give a general concept of what technical differences you may find between the standard efficiency and high-efficiency furnace options you’re considering.
The Same
When we are working through the choices with our clients, what we first acknowledge are what both systems will do:
- Both will heat your home
- Both have a similar life expectancy when given similar amounts of preventative maintenance
- Both will use both gas and electric power sources
- Both have smartphone compatible thermostat options
The Different
To achieve the term “high efficiency” within the industry a furnace must be 90% efficient within its gas usage. But that’s a limited view of what efficiencies can be gained, and what benefits can be provided.
- Variable speed blower = lower electrical usage, increased comfort
- Dual heat exchangers = lower gas usage, increased comfort
- Advanced control board allows for predictive alerts to the homeowner and heating and cooling companies when issues begin to appear with the system
- Reductions in gas, electrical usage typically provide payback within 3-6 years of initial purchase
We believe that you are the best person to determine what is the correct system for your home, your budget, and the comfort needs you have. Our role is to provide as much clarity within the equipment options so that you can make the most intelligent decision possible. Above, I only compared two options, but most suppliers will have up to a dozen different furnaces to consider. If you have any specific questions about choosing a high efficiency HVAC system or not for your Indianapolis home, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me.
