When you live in a cold climate, your furnace is one of the most important pieces of equipment in your home. If you're building a new home and need a new furnace, or are replacing an old one in your current home, there are many things you need to consider before making this purchase (from outlets such as http://www.comfortsolutionsutah.com). Matching your current and future needs to the furnace you buy will help you get maximum efficiency out of the unit.
Type of Fuel
Even if you currently have a furnace using one type of fuel, you might want to consider a different one if the pricing options are better. These days, the most popular fuel source for furnaces is natural gas. It is readily available, clean, safe and relatively inexpensive. For those living in rural locations that don't have access to natural gas, LP (liquefied propane) is a good alternative. Electrical and oil furnaces are also an option. Wood furnaces are sometimes used for farms at rural locations.
Economic Considerations
When you're deciding on the type of furnace you're going to buy, the availability and price of fuel in your area should be a factor in your decision. While your pricing the various types of furnaces available, find out how much the fuel is going to cost you for each one of them. While electrical furnaces are clean and efficient, they usually cost more to operate. Oil fired furnaces are less efficient than other types of fuel and don't burn as cleanly. Both LP gas and oil have to be delivered, which means there is a fee added to the price of the fuel itself. If you live in an area where wood is available and free, you might want to consider it as a fuel, although it doesn't heat as efficiently and is not as easy to use.
Maximum Efficiency
When choosing a furnace, a high efficiency rating is important. Any furnace sold these days is going to have an AFUE (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency) rating. For example, a gas furnace rated at 85% efficiency will use 85% of the fuel burned to create heat. This number is not particularly efficient, and you should look for a high-efficiency unit with a rating of at least 90%. This can significantly reduce your yearly heating bills. Also, choose a unit that has electronic ignition rather than a pilot light that is constantly burning. Otherwise, you are just slowly and continuously wasting fuel.
