The difference between a single-stage furnace and a two-stage furnace is that a single stage can only operate at one speed—it’s either off or on—but a two-stage furnace has two speeds it can operate at. There are numerous benefits that can result from this difference in how a two-stage furnace works.
Most of the benefits you can reap from a two-stage furnace are due to the differences in how it maintains your home at the temperature the thermostat is set at. The only way one-stage furnaces can keep your home at the set temperature is by turning off when the home starts to get too hot and on when it starts to get too cold. This means some amount of temperature swing will occur while it operates. Frequent switching on and off also is less energy efficient and harder on components so they experience increased wear.
On the other hand, the high and low mode that is available with two-stage furnaces gives more options for keeping your home at the set temperature. In mild weather, it may only be necessary for the low mode to operate, so it will be able to run for a longer time before the home starts to surpass the set temperature and it must turn off. As it gets colder out, the low mode may be able to run constantly with the furnace occasionally switching to high mode when necessary to keep the home warm enough. In both cases your home will experience fewer temperature swings and the furnace will be more energy efficient.
To deal with the different amounts of heating that can be provided, two-stage furnaces are paired with variable speed air handlers that can vary the airflow rate. These offer a number of benefits themselves. They are similarly more energy efficient, and they also can help your home’s air quality because there is more often air flowing through the air filter.
If you want more information about a single-stage furnace and a two-stage furnace, contact us at Cox Air Conditioning and Heating. We have been serving Tampa, Palm Harbor, Trinity and nearby areas for more than 50 years.
