Heating Replacement

There are a number of factors that can influence the cost to install a new furnace in your home, including the size of your home, the state of its existing ductwork and the type of system you’re looking to install. Generally speaking, electric furnaces have the lowest upfront costs while gas furnaces have the lowest overall operating costs. The best way to know how much it will cost to replace your furnace is to get a quote from a professional HVAC contractor.

On average, most well-maintained furnaces will last somewhere between 15 and 20 years. Here are some factors that will affect the how long your furnace will last:

• The type of fuel - In general, oil-fueled furnaces tend to last the longest.

• Proper size - If your furnace is too large for your home, it’s going to turn on and off a lot more, which puts extra wear and tear on its components. Likewise, if it’s too small, it might have to run nearly all the time, shortening its lifespan.

• Poor ductwork - If your ductwork isn’t installed correctly, is the wrong size or has too many leaks, this will impact the workload of your furnace which has a direct impact on how long it lasts.

• Wrong thermostat settings - You shouldn’t overwork your HVAC system twith inappropriate temperature settings. A temperature set between 60°F-80°F is ideal.

The most important factor, however, is if the furnace has been properly maintained. It’s vital to take care of your system to ensure it lasts its full lifetime, and maybe even beyond.

The output of a furnace is measured in BTUs (British Thermal Units). A good rule of thumb is that you need a certain number of BTUs per square foot, depending on what climate zone you live in. The farther north you live, the more severe the winter so the more powerful a furnace you’ll need.

Here in Southeastern SC, we live in Climate Zone 1, meaning we require approximately 30-35 BTUs per square foot of space. So, if you live in a 1500-square foot home, you’d want a furnace with an output between 45,000 and 52,500 BTUs.

There are other factors that might require you to adjust that number:

• Age of home - Older homes are less energy efficient.

• Insulation - Good insulation will help hold the heat in; poor insulation will let it out.

• Windows - Both the number of windows in your home and their quality can have an impact.

A professional HVAC technician can survey your home and take a look at these factors and more to help you determine what size is right for you.