When it comes time to upgrade or replace the furnace in your home, there are some things that you may want to take into consideration. The furnace that is coming out of the home does not always have to be replaced with the same kind of unit but in most cases, it does make the installation easier. If you are considering going to a different type of furnace, talk to a heating installation specialist about what you are considering and see if it is a viable option for your home.

Selecting A Furnace Type

The idea that all heat is alike is just not the case. Some furnaces produce a more even heat throughout the home and are more efficient in the way that they run. A furnace that uses hot water uses radiant heat baseboards while a forced air system blows hot air through ductwork, into the room and is far less efficient. Consider the size and layout of your home, what type of heating system was there previously, and how often you use the heat when you start considering options.

Energy Efficiency and Fuel Availability

Selecting a heating system for your home that will produce the best heat with the lowest cost possible is important. If you have a great new heating system that you can't afford to run because the fuel cost is too high, then you might as well have not replaced it. Consider the cost of fuel when you are evaluating systems and you might want to look at the local area for the availability of fuel. A furnace that runs on heating oil might be a bad choice if the lowest cost and most available fuel in the area is Propane.

Ease of Installation

If your home has a forced hot water system heating it already, installing a new hot water system might mean reusing the plumbing that is already in place, saving time, money, and work for the installer. If the plumbing is damaged then this consideration might not make a difference because the replacement of the plumbing may be just as expensive as installing new baseboards, ductwork, or other components for an entirely different type of system.  

Health and Air Quality Considerations

Another consideration that may only be important with some types of heating systems is air quality in your home. If you decide on a forced hot air system for instance, the amount of dust and allergens that can be stirred up by pushing air through the home is significantly higher than if you were to install a hot water system or even electric heat. For people with allergies, consider putting a high-quality HEPA filter on the system when using forced hot air. It will help to keep the air cleaner but may still not be as healthy for you as one of the other system types.

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