By: Brian Schutt
Tomorrow marks the first official day of fall. And while it may not feel cold, or even brisk yet, you know those days are coming. They always do in Indianapolis and the surrounding suburbs. If you know you’ll be in the market for buying a furnace this year — or if you’re reading this after your old furnace just gave out— here are five things to keep in mind during your furnace shopping experience.
- Efficiency
- Blower Motor
Your furnace blower motor moves the air around your home throughout the year. To make it more comfortable inside your home — especially in two-story homes — you could invest in a variable-speed blower. Of course, if you don’t have a comfort problem, then this investment probably isn’t for you. - Thermostat
If you don’t have a programmable thermostat or smartphone-compatible thermostat, you are missing out on the most useful feature available in the HVAC industry. Many installing companies will add these types of thermostats to the job with little markup, and you can see a significant reduction in your operating costs as a result. Consumer Reports estimates it pays for itself within a year. - Expected Move
The value of efficiency comes into play once you’ve done the math. If you’re not planning on being in your home for more than 3 years, it’s not likely you’ll get the return on investment in a high-efficiency furnace. It’s tough to predict when a home will sell, but we recommend against high-efficiency spending if you’re not going to be around to enjoy the lower gas bills. - Quality Control of Installers
More than anything else, the quality of the installation will determine your long-term happiness with your new furnace. Once you’ve decided on the efficiency, blower, and thermostat, demand to know what sort of people, process, and follow-up goes into the installation of your new furnace. Overlooking this step can cost you money and headaches.
When it gets cold in Indianapolis, it can get downright frigid. And to keep warm, we can run our furnaces a lot during the fall and winter seasons. If you’re considering a high-efficiency furnace, here’s an insider tip: dig into your gas bills and ask your HVAC design technician to calculate your annual savings before making the purchase. This information will help you know if it’s in your best interest to make such an investment.
If we can be of more service during your search for buying a furnace, just give Homesense Heating & Cooling a call at (317) 458-9255
