Depending on the situation you may be able to repair your furnace or you may need to purchase a new furnace. Improving your homes' energy efficiency is a common reason to purchase a new heater. Unnecessary heating costs are just one of the problems of inefficient furnaces. Older heating systems that sometimes malfunction tend to be inefficient as well as noisy and annoying. Sometimes it is smarter to buy a new, energy efficient furnace which will save you more money over time rather than pay for costly repairs.

Finding the right furnace can be difficult considering the many options you have. Furnaces are large expenses for your home and it is important that they function properly. When you are shopping for a new furnace you want to consider the AFUE (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency) of the furnace. Of all the heating system types high efficiency furnaces have the best AFUE ratings - 94% or more. A conventional furnace has an AFUE of 60-65%. When it comes to conventional furnaces, of each dollar spent on gas 35-40% is wasted. When you are looking at the performance of each type of furnace the poorest performer is the conventional furnace, followed by the mid efficiency furnace and then the best is the high efficiency furnace. With an AFUE rating of 80% a mid efficiency furnace will save 20-23% in heating costs when compared to a conventional furnace. You can save 30-38% in heating costs with a high efficiency furnace in comparison to a conventional furnace. High efficiency heating systems are good for the environment because they cut down on wasted energy and also help you save in heating costs. A high efficiency heater is a great purchase for your home.

There are three basic types of mid and high efficiency heaters including single stage, two stage and modulating. Whenever heat is required, a single stage furnace will run at full capacity. With a single stage furnace, even if your home only needs your furnace to run at 50 - 60% capacity it will run at full capacity, which is obviously not the most energy efficient option. Until you shut it off a single stage furnace will run at full capacity. The single stage heater is not ideal for those who want to maintain one temperature in their home. Two stage furnaces are better options when it comes to energy efficiency. A two stage furnace runs at 65% capacity in stage one and kicks into the second stage (full capacity) only when required. A two stage furnace is more efficient when you are heating your home. Eliminating problems with jumps in temperature, a two stage furnace will make your home more comfortable. If your home is heated at a constant temperature then jumps in temperature won't be needed and more energy will be conserved..

When it comes to mid and high efficiency furnaces modulating furnaces are good options for energy efficiency, considering they provide 65 stages of heat output. By using variable speed and an electronically commutated motor (ECM) a modulating furnace reduces operating costs and runs your furnace a little quieter. Since they operate for a fraction of the cost of a regular furnace a modulating furnace will help you save significant amounts of money on heating your home. One of the great benefits of a modulating furnace is that it will reduce energy consumption by 80%. You can improve your air conditioning efficiency by up to 16% with a variable speed blower furnace as well as experience a quieter furnace. Modulating heating systems allow you to better control the humidity in your home. ECM blower motors modulate heat in your home, improving comfort levels. When hot air rises and cold air drops you are experiencing air satification, a common heating issue in many homes. A blower motor will prevent air satification in your home.

To ensure your furnace runs smoothly you should ensure it is maintained regularly. Waiting until your furnace breaks is not a good idea because not only will it cost more money to fix than regular maintenance would have cost it can also compromise the life of your furnace. You should think about your furnace as a major home investment that is worth protecting with regular maintenance. If your furnace breaks and you can`t heat your home then you will risk frozen, broken pipes. Regular furnace maintenance will decrease your energy use, reduce your heating bills and make your home more comfortable. Furnace maintenance includes ensuring that filters and coils are clean. As well as ensuring that your coils and filters are in good condition you always want to ensure your burners, exhaust fans and pumps function properly.Sometimes you can purchase maintenance plans that will provide extra coverage on your furnace parts. Pre-season is the best time to conduct regular furnace maintenance. Conduct regular furnace maintenance to help your furnace perform to your expectations.