There are a lot of factors to consider when it comes to choosing a furnace. You should look at efficiency ratings, for instance, measured in AFUE (annual fuel utilization efficiency). The higher the AFUE, the more efficient the furnace. You’ll also need your heating technician to ensure that your furnace is appropriately sized for your home.

Before you even reach this point, though, you should first determine what type of furnace that you will use: gas or electric. While many will tell you that the gas furnace is the way to go, it is a decision that you should not rush into. Here are a few points of consideration to keep in mind when choosing a furnace.

Choosing Gas or Electricity

First things first, the popularity of the gas furnace is definitely well-earned. Natural gas is an affordable fuel, especially when compared to oil or, yes, electricity. For fossil fuel, it is also quite a clean burning, and it burns very hotly. It is also piped right to the furnace, so you won’t have to store it in a tank or worry about deliveries. Natural gas is versatile, too, and can also fuel your water heater, oven, and more.

That being said, natural gas can only be used if you can pipe it to your property. If you don’t have access to a natural gas line, then you are not able to do so. Plus, some homeowners just are not comfortable with piping natural gas into the home — though modern piping systems are really very safe. If you fall into this category, by all means, consider an electric furnace.

Electric furnaces are actually incredibly efficient, as proven by the AFUE rating. They are still generally going to cost more to run than gas furnaces, though. This is because electricity is simply more expensive than gas, even if gas furnaces lose some efficiency points to flue-gases.

If you have any questions about your furnace options, give Ideal Services Heating & Cooling a call today (919) 887-9680 .