There is no denying that the cost of living is continuously increasing for homeowners. Heating costs are on the rise and your old furnace is no longer giving the piece of mind necessary to sleep at night. A new furnace will not only reduce heating costs but it will also allow your heating system to operate at a high level of efficiency. With most furnace installations needing only a day to change we can replace the furnace on even the coldest days. Atmosphere Plumbing & Heating is your go to company for quality furnace installations. Keep money in your bank and change your atmosphere with Atmosphere Plumbing and Heating.
“When should I get a new furnace?”
When looking at your furnace it is important to know what type of furnace it is. Does it have metal venting coming off the top or plastic? If it’s metal then it started at 80% efficient brand new and that old furnace needs to be replaced. The lifespan of a furnace is 20 years. Even with constant tune-ups the heat exchanger will be weak and needs to be replaced. A weak heat exchanger can cause the metal to crack and produce carbon monoxide to enter the home. Also a new furnace will get you back into a high energy efficiency and will lower energy bills. If you have a complaint about your old furnace not heating enough and costing too much to operate then it's time to replace.
Furnace repair vs furnace replacement
If your older furnace is under 15 years old then it is well within reason to repair then replace. The cost of a service call and the furnace repair will be much less than the furnace replacement. But you have to keep in mind that there are certain parts of the older furnace that make up most of its value. If the blower motor or control board have failed then it would be a better decision to replace the old furnace and get back into a new furnace that will start saving you money. The age of the old furnace should also come into play when deciding a furnace replacement. If it’s older than 15 years it may be in your best interest to replace instead of repair. Always call Atmosphere Plumbing & Heating to find out your best options.
Types of furnaces
So what kind of furnaces are out there? We always try to use the good, better, best model to help explain what furnace is best for each home. We will get to that later but in the Edmonton, Alberta region, it is important to know what your gas furnace is capable of. Will it use less energy, help increase my air quality and does it come with a long warranty? What will the furnace cost to install and is it a high-efficiency furnace? Let's break it down.
Since 2009 all furnaces coming into Canada had to be considered high-efficiency. Meaning that it had a gas efficiency of higher than 90%. Most new furnaces on the market are between 91% and 96% efficient. They all come with different warranties for different components on the inside of the furnace. Some brands also offer a long labour warranty to help entice customers to support the brand. But is it worth it?
Back to the good, better, best options.
Good - Single Stage, 3 Speed Blower - Efficiency will range between 90% to 93%. The high-efficiency furnace when called to turn on will operate at 100% of its capacity. It will use a pre-programmed speed depending on a call for heat, cooling or circulating. This speed is only adjustable to the ability of the manufacturer that made it. This furnace is good for rental homes, customers needing cost savings and may qualify for some rebate programs. Cost of install should start around $3500 depending on brand and ease of installation.
Better - 2 Stage, Variable Drive Blower - Efficiency will range between 92% and 96%. This furnace should be an option for every Edmonton and Alberta resident. Paired with a Wi-Fi thermostat will give you the best energy savings for your buck. This high-efficient furnace is able to run at 60% capacity and will always try to save you money first. In the Edmonton area we have what we call long shoulder seasons. Sept, Oct and Nov and again in March, April and May, we have warm weather in the day and then a higher need for more BTU’s during the night. If you can heat your home only using 60% of your furnaces capability you are saving an extra 40% on operating costs. But when we need the full capacity of the furnace it is available. Also having the VFD blower we can adjust the CFM out of the furnace with up to 20 different settings. It also runs on a DC current which takes pennies a day to operate. This high-efficient furnace should qualify for most rebate programs. Cost of install should start around $4500 and will go higher based on brand and required BTU’s.
Best - Full Modulating Gas, Variable Drive Blower - Efficiency is between 95% and 97%. This furnace is the absolute best for any home. Having the ability to run from 40% to 100% in 1% increments, this high-efficiency furnace will give you the exact amount of heat required to keep the home comfortable. Paired with a proper Wi-Fi thermostat this furnace has the ability to base its load on the outside temperature. It will also maintain its last firing rate giving you upfront gas savings every time it operates. Same VFD blower as the 2 stage allowing multiple settings but also using pressure sensors built into the furnace to find its exact operating CFM range. If you want extreme savings and comfort this is the unit for you. Cost of install will start around $7000 and will go higher based on brand and install requirements.
Atmosphere Plumbing & Heating is a Trane dealer but will work on all makes and models. We have access to Lennox, Keepright, Carrier, York, Frigidaire, Amana, Daiken, Bryant, Goodman, Coleman, Napoleon and Intertherm furnaces.
How Atmosphere can help
With over 80 years of combined experience in the heating industry, Atmosphere Plumbing & Heating is your trusted source for furnace repair and furnace replacement in Edmonton and surrounding area. Specialising in home comfort and quality HVAC solutions we will always put the customers needs first. We will walk you through the whole process to make sure you know exactly what is available and which product is the best fit for your home. Call us today to find out how we can improve your atmosphere.