To survive the unpredictable Atlanta winter, it’s important to have a quality heating system. If you’re like many people, though, the idea of turning on your furnace gives your wallet a bit of anxiety. If it’s time to upgrade to a new furnace, you’ll have plenty of options to choose from. At Bardi Heating, Cooling & Plumbing, we want to encourage you to invest in an energy-efficient heating system so you can receive the numerous benefits that come from owning these marvels of modern engineering.
How to Find an Energy-Efficient Furnace
The basic rating for all furnaces is the AFUE, also known as the annual fuel utilization efficiency rating. This measurement looks at the amount of heat that’s created by a furnace compared to the amount of fuel it uses to create that heat. The higher the AFUE rating, the more efficient a furnace is. For an efficient furnace, this number, which is expressed as a percentage, should be at least 95%, although higher efficiency ratings are available.
Potential Rebates
While buying an energy-efficient furnace is certainly not a get-rich-quick scheme, you may be eligible to receive some rebates that reward you for your energy-efficient choice. In many cases, local utility companies will offer significant rebates to customers who replace an inefficient furnace with a new, energy-efficient model. This is because energy-efficient appliances draw less power, which puts less strain on the power grid, meaning that utility companies have a vested interest in ensuring their customers choose energy-efficient appliances.
In addition, you may be eligible for local, state, or federal grants as a result of installing a new furnace from Bardi Heating, Cooling & Plumbing. Therefore, it pays to do your research to see how much money you can get back on your purchase.
Less Noise
One way furnaces cut down on energy use is by reducing the friction that’s created between various components. Luckily for you, this reduced friction also means that your furnace will run more quietly. Therefore, no matter where you are in your home, you won’t have to worry about trying to talk over your furnace when it’s on.
In addition, lower noise levels from your furnace will make it easier to identify when something is amiss. After all, if your furnace regularly makes almost no noise, even the slightest change will be quickly noticed. This means that you’ll be able to get Bardi Heating, Cooling & Plumbing on the task of fixing your furnace more quickly so that you don’t face major repairs due to an overlooked furnace issue.
Lower Utility Costs
Most furnaces use two types of fuel: electricity and natural gas. This means that any time your furnace is running, both your electric meter and your gas meter are going up, greatly increasing the cost of your utility bill. Therefore, anything you can do to improve the efficiency of your furnace will result in significantly lower utility costs.
The great thing about an energy-efficient heating system from Bardi Heating, Cooling & Plumbing is that it saves energy in multiple ways. One way many new furnaces save energy is by using two-stage heating. A two-stage furnace is able to use a lower heating level on days that the heating demands are minimal. Then, on days when it’s especially cold, a two-stage furnace can kick into a higher gear to quickly provide the warmth and comfort your home needs. By changing the amount of heat that’s produced, modern furnaces can operate much more efficiently than their older counterparts.
Additionally, modern furnaces increase their efficiency by making use of the exhaust gases that would otherwise be wasted. Using a second heat exchanger, energy-efficient furnaces are able to take heat from the exhaust gases and divert it into your home. Since very little energy is wasted to create heat, your energy costs will be lower. When you consider electronic ignition, variable speed blowers, and other advancements, it’s no wonder you stand to save a significant amount by upgrading your furnace.
Better Temperature Control
If you often find it’s difficult for you to get comfortable during the winter, then an energy-efficient furnace is likely your best hope for change. That’s because energy-efficient furnaces offer multiple features that allow you to precisely customize the amount of heat your system produces so your home stays comfortable all the time.
As mentioned previously, many modern furnaces are two-stage furnaces that have two different levels of heating. In addition to saving energy, this innovative feature ensures your home always stays at the perfect temperature.
Another way to make your furnace more efficient is by introducing zone control into your home. This feature uses multiple automatic dampers in your home’s ductwork to route conditioned air exactly where it’s needed. If you need some extra heat in your living room, for example, you can dial it to just the right temperature.
You can also select certain rooms to close off so they don’t receive any conditioned air. This works great for rooms that are underutilized. Since the conditioned air will be focused where it’s needed, it’s likely you’ll be able to run your furnace less, saving energy.
Reduce Your Environmental Impact
With so much concern over climate change, it’s important to do your part to help reduce emissions so future generations have plenty of clean air to breathe. Although you can’t do everything to reverse the effects of climate change, that doesn’t mean your individual efforts aren’t important. Given that many older furnaces use significant amounts of fossil fuels during the course of their operation, installing a new, energy-efficient furnace provides a great way to help shrink your carbon footprint.
Gas furnaces, in particular, are problematic in terms of climate change. This is because gas furnaces release exhaust from each individual home, unlike electric furnaces that release exhaust from a centralized power plant. Since regulations are much harder to enforce when the emissions are decentralized, this creates a big problem for the planet.
Therefore, when you install a new furnace that’s up to code, you’re helping to significantly reduce the emissions that are released from your home. When multiple homeowners utilize Bardi Heating, Cooling & Plumbing to install a new furnace, the collective impact of these furnace renovations can be significant.
Keeping You Warm This Winter
At Bardi Heating, Cooling & Plumbing, we understand the temperatures during a typical Atlanta winter can vary wildly. That’s why we want to help you keep your home comfortable with our numerous service offerings. We are proud to offer installation, repairs, and maintenance for all types of furnaces and air conditioners. We can also take on plumbing projects, including pipe replacements, tankless water heater installation, and water heater repairs.
In our 30-plus years in business, our customers have raved about our attention to detail and our commitment to satisfaction. This has resulted in an Angie’s List Super Service Award and an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau. For more information about energy-efficient heating systems, feel free to contact us at Bardi Heating, Cooling & Plumbing today. We look forward to serving all of your indoor climate comfort needs.
