Tips on How to Buy a Furnace
Many people like to relax at their favorite mall or outlet. Unfortunately, buying a new furnace is not very relaxing. So how do we make sure that we get the best value for our dollar? The following five points will help you how to buy a furnace within your budget, and have it installed before the winter hits.
MAKE YOUR OWN ASSESSMENT
Make sure to conduct your assessment before you even start to look at a furnace’s fan speed or energy rating. You’ll know then if it is ripe to purchase a new furnace. In the next few months, will you stay mostly at home? Can you just have it repaired, rather than buy a replacement? Is it possible to wait for your existing unit to break down before buying a new one? Ask yourself these questions first to determine whether this is the right time to buy a furnace. Of course, the answer will be pretty obvious if you are constructing your new home, or if your old one stops working.
KNOW THE ABBREVIATIONS
When you finally decide to buy your new unit, knowing the following HVAC abbreviations will come in handy. You’ll be able to make the best decision once you understand what the sales staff is saying such as:
- BTU – British Thermal Unit
- AFUE – Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency
- SEER – Seasonal Energy Efficiency Rating
- HPT- Higher Price Tag
Also, don’t take a specific make or model completely out of the equation because of its HPT.
GET TO KNOW ENERGY RATINGS
One important you need to ask and before buying a new furnace is whether its energy rating commensurate the higher price tag? When you live somewhere that experiences harsh winters, the higher price tag can be compensated by the savings on your utility bill. But then, if you will not be constantly using your furnace during the cold season, it does not make sense to pay more for a furnace with a higher energy rating (90% or more).
BE FAMILIAR WITH TAX BREAKS TO MINIMIZE THE BURDEN OF THE HIGH PRICE TAG
Another important factor you need to take into consideration when buying a more efficient furnace is a tax break or incentive offered by the government when you use “green” appliances. You will surely regret missing out on that $350 kickback just because you scrimped on paying an additional $50 for a more efficient furnace.
GET YOUR HAND ON SOME COMPARISONS
Once you set out to look for your home’s next furnace is the challenge of knowing the difference between furnaces that have almost the same ratings or features. Knowing the industry’s jargons and getting comparisons from some dealers become beneficial since you’ll know what is the fair price for certain makes and models.
Although shopping for a new furnace is not as thrilling as a trip to Macy’s or Bloomingdales, if you know how, it doesn’t have to be as bad as a trip to the dentist.