Mr. Comfort knows heating
When considering your central heating equipment, here are a few key points to keep in mind:
- Gas Furnaces vs. Electric Heaters – In Oklahoma, most homes are heated using gas furnaces or electric heat pumps with secondary heat sources. Your home’s access to natural gas is usually the determining factor when deciding between the two options.
- AFUE – For gas furnaces, the AFUE (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency) is a rating system that measures how efficiently a furnace converts fuel into usable energy over the course of an entire heating season. The higher the AFUE rating, the more efficient the furnace and the more fuel converted into heat for your home. Higher efficiency mean less fuel wasted, saving money and helping our environment. 80% AFUE is considered a base level for furnaces. At Mr. Comfort, we offer furnaces that range from 80% AFUE and up to 98.7% AFUE.
- Single-Stage vs. Two-Stage vs. Modulating Furnaces – Understanding what type of furnace is right for you means understanding the furnace’s fuel usage.
Single-Stage furnaces simply turn on and off as needed. These furnaces constantly operate at the high level, regardless of the temperature outdoors or the need for heat throughout your home. Single-stage furnaces can be installed at a low cost when compared to two-stage or modulating furnaces.
Two-Stage furnaces have two levels of operation and are more efficient than single-stage furnaces. Two-stage gas furnaces can operate in first stage (which is about 65% of the furnace’s full capacity) until the demand for heat exceeds this level. The furnace will then switch to second stage. As a result, a two-stage furnace is able to operate using the stage that most appropriately satisfies the demand for heat in your home at a current time.
Modulating furnaces are not limited to one or two levels of operation and can adjust themselves as needed between 40% and 100% capacity. These highly reliable furnaces work similar to a light bulb with a dimmer switch. When the need for heat in a home is low, the furnace will work at 40% and make minute adjustments as needed, providing ultimate comfort and efficiency.
Blower Technology – The blower motor is the component that determines the amount of air that should be delivered into your home. This motor is important because it works year around. Not only will the blower motor force heated air into your home during the heating season, it will also force cool air into your home during the cooling season. Blower motors in gas furnaces come in standard, high efficiency and variable speed options.
Standard motors are single-speed motors that distribute air through your home at one rate. Similarly, high efficiency motors are single-speed but have improved technology that provide for quieter operation and reduced energy use. Variable speed blower motors, on the other hand, move at different speeds to precisely control the flow of air throughout your home. As a result, the variable speed blower operates more efficiently and offers more humidity control than other blowers.
- Brand – While the brand of gas furnace or electric heater is only as good as the contractor installing it, know what brand you are purchasing and how reliable that brand has been in the past. Mr. Comfort will always present you with quality and reliable brands of equipment. Brands of heating equipment differ substantially in quality. If an HVAC company does not provide you with the brand of equipment they are installing, this is a red flag.
Heating and Cooling Services in Oklahoma
For more information about heating equipment, including brands such as American Standard, Lennox and York, call the heating and cooling experts at Mr. Comfort at 405-222-2222.