Comfort Doesn’t Mean a Bigger Furnace
Most people only buy a furnace once or twice in their lifetime, so it’s understandable that most buyers don’t know the best ways to choose a heating system. Unfortunately, an uninformed or untrustworthy salesmen might upsell a homeowner, encouraging them to go for the ‘best and biggest’ system on the market.
It’s easy to think, ‘bigger is always better,’ but with your heating and cooling system, it just isn’t the case. Schneller’s team is here to explain why we always carefully select and suggest a system that’s just the right size for your home.
The Big Warm Up
When is pumping out a steady amount of heat, it’s at its most efficient. Even the best furnace takes can’t immediately turn on and reach that level of heat production, it takes some time for the system to heat up and produce a full load of air at a consistent temperature. A larger furnace heats up the space more quickly, so it shuts down more quickly, meaning it rarely, if ever, reaches its most efficient level of output. All that inefficiency means wasted fuel, and wasted dollars.
Over-Sized and Over-Worked
An over-sized furnace will have short cycles – meaning the furnace will kick on, pump out the heat needed to satisfy the thermostat very quickly, then shut back off. Unfortunately, this doesn’t mean you’ll save money because your furnace is only on for a short while, it means your furnace will kick on for a short while many, many times throughout the day.
You spend the same amount of fuel, if not more, on these frequent, short cycles but your house is more uncomfortable because it’s constantly experiencing heat waves.
Big Time Failure
Short cycling isn’t only a problem for your home’s comfort. As with most items, this constant starting and stopping for short bursts wears down your furnace. Over time, that extra wear-and-tear adds up. A furnace that’s too large for your home will cost more to purchase in the first place, to fuel as you use it, AND to replace when it kicks the bucket before its time.
Being the Bigger Person
Schneller techs see oversized furnaces all too often (in part, because they’re prone to breakdowns and premature failures). When it’s time for a client to replace their furnace , we consider multiple factors that affect heating a home, such as square footage of the home, type and efficiency of insulation, even the orientation of the house itself.
Any time you’re replacing a major fixture in your home, work with a seasoned professional who’s an expert in their field. These individuals will save you money in the long run – with lower fuel costs and longer-lived equipment.