Many people in the Decatur, AL area have houses that are on the older side, and as homes age, normal maintenance jobs tend to get larger.
One large job that comes up is buying a new furnace for your home, because as furnaces age, efficiency tends to go down and energy bills tend to rise. This is especially true if your furnace is over 20 years old.
Putting a new furnace in an older home will greatly improve energy efficiency, cutting your utility bills. These savings will help to pay for your upgrade and will deliver greater comfort and control over your heating and cooling.
But how do you find the right furnace for an older home that might not have the most modern ductwork or construction? Following these steps will help you ensure you make the right choice.
Step One: Find the Right Professional. Installations of newer furnaces in older homes can be more complicated than in newer buildings. Before you purchase your furnace, find a professional that will do the job correctly and safely. Having a job done well the first time will reduce problems down the road, including efficiency issues that arise from having the wrong ductwork.
Step Two: Prepare Your Home. A new furnace won’t do much good if your old home has issues such as air leaks or bad ductwork. Old homes often have window leaks, bad insulation, and other factors that can force a furnace to work harder than it should, reducing its lifespan. After you’ve tackled these air leak issues, some of which can be as simple as applying caulk around leaky windows, ask your professional about your ductwork.
Some older homes have ductwork that doesn’t fit the newer, more efficient furnaces well, and you’ll want to know this before you decide on a new furnace and find out later that you’ll also need to have new ductwork put in. Knowing this ahead of time will help you prepare for the initial cost of the installation and prepare for the extra time needed to get this job done. You may also have ductwork that has leaks due to age or has obstructions which are already preventing your system from heating your home as well as it should. Having your ductwork looked at now may help with energy savings before you get a new system.
Step Three: Consider Your Options. Gas and electric systems are the two main options for your new system and will have different running costs and lifespans. There are also other options to consider, such as whether to invest in smart thermostats and zoned systems.
Smart thermostats learn when to raise and lower the temperature of your home, increasing efficiency. Zoned systems are capable of heating or cooling just one part of a home at a time and may be useful for larger homes in which you spend most of your time in one room or floor. Both serve to lower your energy bills and improve your system’s lifespan.
Step Four: Schedule Your Appointment. Once you’re ready to purchase your new furnace, or if you have questions, contact your professional to see when you can have your installation done, and how long it will take. Contact us at Southeastern Mechanical Services if you have questions, or if you’re looking to upgrade your system and reap the benefits.
