Choosing the latest and greatest technology when it comes to something like a cell phone or a smart TV is a matter of convenience and, let’s admit it, fun. You picked out that smartphone with the high megapixel camera because you love showing off your awesome photos, or you got that new TV to watch the big game in a way you never have before.
However, when it comes time to pick out a new furnace, you might not be so excited to go for the latest and greatest technology. After all, you won’t be looking at the furnace, and heat is heat, right? We certainly don’t think so. While it may not be as flashy as some of the other technology in a home, a new furnace with the latest features can certainly help you feel more comfortable and save money. It’s worth it!
When you’re shopping around for a new furnace, you might start to develop a new vocabulary. There’s the AFUE—Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency—that helps you determine the efficiency of your new system. And another set of terms you may see used often are as follows: “one-stage,” “two-stage,” and “modulating” furnace.
There are some things you own that you may replace well before they fail on you. For instance, you might replace your smartphone with the latest and greatest model primarily to take advantage of the camera. You replace your furniture even though it’s still in decent shape just to get a better color or upholstery.
Heating systems have improved in many ways since we first became a company in 1912. The most noticeable and needed improvement has been in terms of safety. Today’s heating systems don’t even require you to keep a pilot light lit. They can ignite themselves with electronic ignition systems, and only when the thermostat calls for heat.
This year, don’t waste your time making repairs for your home furnace in the middle of winter, when you need it most. You might be surprised to hear that a large portion of the problems we see with furnaces in the colder season are largely preventable. Furnace repairs are frustrating, and in some cases, they are also dangerous. We want to help you avoid them at all costs.
Lots of people are used to one type of heating system or the other. They may always set the temperature on the thermostat without ever really thinking about the system heating the home. If you don’t know much about the heater you use, you’re not alone.