When choosing a new furnace, think like Goldilocks. Skip the ones that are too big or too small and find one that’s just right. Why? A furnace that’s too small won’t give you enough heating power. A furnace that’s too large will constantly cycle on and off providing uneven heating, not properly adjusting your humidity levels and wearing out sooner from all of the cycling. Only a properly sized furnace will provide you with maximum comfort and energy savings.
How to Find the Size You Need
A furnace’s heating capacity is measured in British Thermal Units (BTUs). For Florida and other warm climate states, the general rule of thumb is that you want 30 to 35 BTUs per square foot of space to be heated. However, other variables may cause you to need a furnace that is slightly larger or smaller than the rule of thumb would suggest. These variables could include your home’s insulation type, sun exposure, number and type of windows and layout.
When purchasing a furnace, you can use the rule of thumb to get a ballpark estimate of your needs and costs as a starting point in your conversation with an HVAC dealer. Before making your final decision, you should have the installer come to your home to calculate your exact heating needs and explain how they reached their conclusion.
Other Things to Consider
Once you’ve figured out what size furnace you need, there are a few more things to look for that can help you make your final decision.
- AFUE rating. The Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency rating tells you how efficient a furnace is. The higher the rating, the lower the annual operating costs will be. We can help you calculate whether the additional cost of a furnace with a higher AFUE rating will be offset by lower energy costs based on your heating usage and local utility rates.
- Two-speed or variable speed operation. When a furnace simply turns off and on, you may experience large temperature swings between cycles. Two-speed and variable speed systems run for longer times at reduced power to help keep temperatures constant.
- Noise rating. If you don’t want to be constantly annoyed by the drone of your furnace, look for one with a low decibel rating.
To get help choosing a furnace that’s right for your Clearwater, FL, home, contact Cox Air today.
