When choosing a furnace for your home the first step to any purchase is to size the equipment properly. Furnaces are sized in BTU output per hour (British Thermal Units). Most models come in numerous sizes ranging from 40,000 BTU’s up to 120,000 BTU models. This portion of the purchasing process is crucial and should be completed by a qualified HVAC professional.
Ottawa Furnace Calculations
At AirZone HVAC Services each customer has a heat load calculation completed which factors in the home’s orientation, size, windows, insulation and layout allowing the home comfort advisor to recommend the optimally sized piece of equipment. Oversized equipment is an issue that plagues the HVAC industry, leading to premature failure, inefficient operation and comfort robbing properties. These issues can be avoided by having an AirZone professional recommend the proper Ottawa Furnace equipment for your home.
Furnace Fuel Consumption
Once the equipment is sized properly, the next variable to be considered is the fuel consumption. High efficiency furnaces can run off of gas or propane and have efficiency ratings that range from 90%-98.7% efficient. When choosing your furnace it is important that your selected contractor verifies efficiency and articulates how the gas valve works. Furnaces can have three distinctly different types of gas valves, these valves are categorized as single stage, two stage or modulating.
Single Stage Furnace Ottawa:
A single stage furnace has two stages of operation, either on or off. The valves in these units can only put out 100% gas levels, meaning your home will experience fluctuations in temperature as the thermostat calls for heat.
Two Stage Ottawa Furnace:
A two stage gas valve offers added comfort control and increased efficiency as it can operate at 40% capacity or 100%. What does this mean to a homeowner? The two stage gas valve is great for shoulder seasons, fall and spring, when the home needs supplementary heat yet 100% output can be overkill, drying the home out and turning off and on constantly. The two stage gas valve adds a comfortable more constant heat to the home with less temperature swings and higher efficiency.
Modulating Gas Furnace Ottawa:
Finally, a modulating gas valve is the epitome of comfort when it comes to furnaces. The modulating gas valve allows gas outputs to range from 35%-100% in one percent increments. This means that the temperature displayed on your thermostat remains constant without the furnace turning on and off. Furnaces with the modulating gas valve, virtually eliminate hot and cold spots in the home and ensure that you are only using the amount of fuel you really need! No longer do we need to accept blasts of very hot air and temperature swings all winter as Lennox, American Standard and Amana modulating furnaces eliminate these pesky issues. When a two stage or modulating furnace has an ECM variable blower motor (See Airzone blog post “Ottawa Heating” for extensive information on variable blower motors) they reach the peak of efficiency and comfort all while running so incredibly silent that you may think they are off!
Ottawa Furnace Services From AirZone
When deciding on a new furnace in the Ottawa area, it is important to consider a few key factors. These include, sizing of equipment, gas valve operation and which type of blower motor. Allow Airzone HVAC’s home comfort advisors to provide a transparent, no pressure and free estimate. Once you experience the superior comfort and air quality levels of a modulating, variable speed furnace it will be difficult to settle for anything less!
