- What is a variable-speed unit?
The term "variable speed" refers to the furnace's
indoor air blower motor. The blower motor is the component that determines the
amount of air the blower is required to deliver to your home.
When your furnace is installed, the speed and airflow for your home are set
depending upon your specific situation, such as the size of your home, etc.
However, there are situations that can occur within the household to restrict this
airflow, such as ductwork design, unit location, zoning and dirty filters, to name
just a few. Think of variable-speed technology as your insurance for home comfort
the way you prefer it. Variable-speed technology ensures that your home receives
the amount of air required to keep you and your family comfortable. Variable-speed
motors have intelligent technology that monitor incoming data from the blower and
adjust accordingly so you can feel confident that your system is working to keep
you comfortable.
Having the technology of variable speed in your furnace offers many
benefits:
Electrical efficiency: Variable-speed motors can actually save you money on your
energy bills as they consume less electricity than standard motors.
Cooling efficiency: Variable-speed technology also means you will gain air
conditioning efficiency or SEER.
Zoning: Variable-speed furnaces are excellent for zoning, where you control the
conditioning of your home. Zoning allows you to customize your comfort in different
areas or zones in your home and control your energy bills.
Air quality: A variable-speed motor combined with a humidistat allows you to
control the humidity in your home. Humidity plays a big role not only in the
comfort of your home, but also in its air quality. The relative humidity in your
home should be between 30 and 60 percent. This range is most ideal to minimize
growth of biological pollutants such as mold and mildew. The consistent airflow of
the variable-speed motor also helps to improve air filtration.
Your local Service Experts sales and service center can show you additional
benefits of owning a variable-speed system.
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- What is two-stage heating?
Thanks to the innovation of two-stage heating, it is possible for your
home to be cozier than ever while saving you money on your energy bill in the
process. Two-stage heating can be a tremendous help when looking for that
just-right temperature during the cold winter months.
Traditional furnaces are designed to heat your home and keep you warm during the
coldest weather in your climate. Therefore, when they are operating, they are
heating at their full capacity. Unlike those furnaces, two-stage furnaces are
designed to operate like two separate furnaces, maintaining more consistent comfort
levels throughout the home.
The first stage consists of the furnace running at about 68% of its heating
capacity. A two-stage furnace will always start in the first stage and attempt to
meet the heating demand. This reduced capacity is enough to warm a home on mild
winter days. When temperatures drop, the furnace adjusts itself and enters the
second stage to meet the demand for heat within the home. With two-stage heating, a
homeowner has no need to keep adjusting the thermostat.
Two-stage heating has many advantages:
Consistent comfort: Thanks to two-stage technology, the temperature inside your
home should vary only a couple of degrees versus the larger temperature swings that
are common with traditional furnaces.
Quiet comfort: Because a two-stage furnace starts in its first stage, when the
amount of heat required is lower, and runs in this stage about 80 percent of the
time, it greatly reduces the noise associated with furnaces that turn on and run
full blast. Two-stage technology means quiet comfort.
Improved air filtration: A two-stage furnace provides more consistent airflow
and with more consistent airflow comes improved air filtration, which means
you'll breathe easier with two-stage heating.
Efficient operation: Because the furnace spends the majority of its time
operating in its lower-capacity first stage, it burns less fuel than a traditional
furnace that always runs at full capacity and then shuts off when the heating
demand has been met.
Although you can't see the air and temperature within your home, you can
certainly feel them. A two-stage furnace can provide preferred comfort within your
home despite the changes in weather outside your home.
Your local Service Experts sales and service center can show you additional
benefits of owning a two-stage system.
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- Will my new furnace work differently than my old one?
A new furnace may not operate exactly the same as an older one. When
you install a new indoor comfort system in your home, you'll probably notice
it operates differently than your old system. Radical changes have taken place in
the technology of the comfort industry in recent years. These changes will affect
how your system operates and may also affect what you notice about your system.
Higher efficiencies in furnaces and air conditioners have become increasingly
important over the past few years. Consumers, government agencies and manufacturers
all see higher efficiency as a way to conserve our natural resources while reducing
consumer energy costs. Today, furnaces are designed with high efficiency in
mind.
To achieve higher efficiencies, new gas furnaces must move more air over the
heat exchanger than older furnaces so that as much heat as possible can be sent
throughout the house.
The air that comes out of your furnace registers may not seem as warm as the air
was from your old furnace, but it will heat your house just as well. In fact,
better airflow can improve overall comfort by reducing air temperature differences
from the ceiling to the floor throughout your entire home.
Modern furnaces are designed to handle high-efficiency air conditioners and must
have blowers that are efficient yet powerful enough to accommodate the add-on
cooling. Since cold air is much heavier than warm air, your system needs an extra
boost from the blower to get cool air throughout your home to provide you with
efficient total comfort during the summer.
Higher airflow required for cooling operation could contribute to unfamiliar
sound levels when your new furnace is operating because older homes' air duct
systems were designed for heating only. Service Experts offers products with
multiple speed settings to allow for the varying air needs of both heating and
cooling cycles.
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- What are furnace ratings?
Furnaces are rated by the Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE)
ratio, which is the percent of heat produced for every dollar of fuel consumed.
Like the miles per gallon rating on your automobile, the higher the AFUE rating,
the lower your fuel costs. All furnaces manufactured must meet at least 78 percent
AFUE. If your furnace is 10 to 15 years old, it very well may fall below the
current furnace minimum and waste energy.
This doesn't mean that you should only look for a furnace with the highest
AFUE rating. The efficiency rating is just one factor to consider when looking at a
new furnace.
Furnaces use electricity to run fans and motors. The amount of electricity used
varies greatly depending on the type of furnace. Be sure to check electricity usage
prior to making a purchase decision.
There are several important factors to consider when making a purchase decision.
Payback is a big factor. For instance, if you live in a colder climate, you could
see payback in a few short years. But in a more moderate climate, it could take
longer. In this case you may consider purchasing a mid-efficiency furnace.
Remember, after the payback, you will continue to save money on your energy
bills.
Other considerations are how long you plan to live in your house, special
comfort needs, fuel availability and fuel cost.
All these factors, plus your lifestyle and family needs, add up to show you
which furnace is best for you.
Your local Service Experts sales and service center can assist you with finding
the best furnace for your home.
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- Can I use my chimney with my new furnace?
Furnace technology has advanced significantly in recent years, raising
concerns over chimney use. As a result of changing technology, many existing
masonry chimneys aren't able to meet the specific demands of new furnaces
with higher efficiency and enhanced performance.
There are several reasons why new furnaces and existing masonry chimneys
aren't compatible. The size of the chimney can be an issue. Modern,
higher-efficiency furnaces transfer more heat into your home and less heat up the
chimney than older, less-efficient units. While this means the consumer is getting
more for their energy dollar, it also means that the existing chimney might now be
too large for the new furnace. The result could be improper ventilation of flue
products, which can cause condensation problems inside the chimney. Condensation in
your chimney is the cause of two major problems. The water combines with flue gases
and forms corrosive acids that eat away at the chimney, deteriorating tiles, bricks
and mortar. Secondly, in winter, moisture freezes and thaws, breaking away mortar
and bricks. Resulting damage can be extensive. A chimney can be destroyed and
deterioration can create leaks into the home. Moisture can damage interior dry wall
near the chimney and run back into the furnace, causing corrosion there, too.
In addition, today's induced-draft furnaces often require an additional
natural draft appliance to be installed into the same chimney for proper
venting.
Other possibilities for furnace-chimney incompatibility include the absence of a
tile liner in the chimney and the location of the chimney on an outside wall of the
home.
The difference between an unlined masonry chimney and one lined with tile is
simple but significant. An unlined masonry chimney is constructed of only bricks
and mortar. A tile-lined chimney has the same bricks-and-mortar exterior
appearance, but it also uses a rectangular or round-fired clay tile pipe in the
center. While all new masonry chimneys are built with a clay tile liner, this
doesn't guarantee that they can be used with some new furnaces.
There are installations where it is possible to match a new furnace to an
existing chimney. Certain factors such as chimney height and location, proper
lining and condition of the chimney must be taken into consideration. Building
codes must also be kept in mind. These requirements must be met to ensure proper
draft in the chimney for adequate ventilation.
Your local Service Experts sales and service center can offer the best advice on
how to configure your new furnace.
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