Important parts of selecting a new furnace include picking a fuel type, choosing an efficiency rating and, of course, deciding on what size furnace you need for your Vernon-area home. Here’s what you need to know about sizing a furnace.
Why Does Furnace Size Matter?
The furnace size is important for four main reasons:
- Upfront cost: An oversized system costs more upfront than a properly sized machine.
- Heating efficiency: Overlarge furnaces drive up energy bills because they cycle on and off more frequently. This process, called short cycling, consumes more electricity and increases the cost of heating your home.
- System longevity: The frequent cycles of an oversized furnace wear out the motor and other components faster, leading to more repairs and a replacement years sooner than necessary.
- Comfort: An undersized system can’t keep up with demand, leaving your home inescapably chilly on the coldest winter nights. Then, if the furnace is too large and short cycles, it leaves behind uncomfortable hot and cold spots across your home.
What Size Furnace Do I Need?
When you ask yourself, “How many Btus do I need from my furnace?” keep in mind that basing an upgrade on the size of your current furnace is not always wise, since it could have been wrongly sized from the get go or energy improvements since you bought the furnace have changed your home’s requirements.
Just how do you determine what size furnace you need, then? It comes down to a tool developed by the Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA) called Manual J. This establishes calculations that tell your knowledgeable contractor how to size a furnace based on several factors, including:
- Cubic footage
- Climate
- Home orientation
- Insulation levels
- Window placement
- Air infiltration rate
- Landscaping factors
- Occupancy level
- Interior heat gain
- Indoor temperature preferences
With the calculations made, your contractor knows what size furnace you need to enjoy affordable, comfortable heating all winter. Only then should you explore other furnace options, including fuel type and efficiency.
For more information about what size furnace you need in your Vernon-area home, please contact James Lane Air Conditioning & Plumbing Co.
