Your furnace is getting to that 20 year mark, and it is not performing like it once did.  You have known for the last couple of years that it was only a matter of time.  You’ve noticed some ads promoting great rebates and you’ve decided now is the time to replace.  Now what?  Here four things to consider when planning your next furnace replacement.

If your home has access to natural gas, we recommend going that direction most of the time.  It’s important to know what you currently have.  In most cases, customers prefer the heat source they are used to.  Gas furnaces are viewed in the St Louis area as much more practical due to our low energy costs on natural gas.  However, electric furnaces provide many advantages as well.  While the price of energy is slightly higher for electric compared to natural gas, many of the newer electric furnaces are more efficient.  We often install a lot of electric furnaces in homes that are converting from radiant heat systems.  Especially within the St Louis city limits where radiant heat is more common in homes.  Electric furnaces offer homeowners a cost effective alternative for boiler replacement.  Both electric and gas provide great options for furnace replacement.  If natural gas is an option, it all comes down to personal preference.

Most of the time, local energy companies and manufacturers will offer rebates on new furnaces.  We advise customers to know what rebates are available at the beginning stage of furnace replacement.  It is very common that your new furnace must meet certain efficiency requirements to qualify for the rebates.  Don’t be afraid to ask questions about them to the HVAC installer quoting you on a new furnace.  If they don’t have the answers, that is often a red flag.  Our furnace replacement estimators are always up to speed on anyway we can save customers money on new equipment.

In a perfect world, every appliance we as consumers purchase would be high efficiency.  But for many, it just doesn’t make sense.  While many of the energy rebates are geared towards high efficiency furnaces, they also come at a higher price tag.  An easy rule of thumb to go by is the larger the home, the more it often makes sense to install a high efficiency furnace.  Homes with larger square footage to heat often save more money.  This helps offset any of the extra costs associated with high efficiency furnaces by saving you more on your energy bills.  It can be very difficult to justify the extra cost on a home that is under 1,200 square feet.  However, there are benefits outside of cost that high efficiency heating provide.   Most Energy Star certified high efficient furnaces come standard with variable speed motors.  This feature can increase comfort while also saving you money on energy bills.  There are also those who don’t mind paying a little extra knowing they are doing their part to decrease their energy usage.  We encourage customers to understand the pros and cons of both high efficiency and regular efficiency furnaces before making your final decision on furnace replacement.  The good news is that there is a good chance even a new standard non efficient furnace will be much more energy efficient than the one you are considering replacing.

When we bid a potential job for furnace replacement, it is common that homeowner is receiving bids from other HVAC companies.  Trust me, we don’t take it personal at all.  Today we live in an age of digital information.  Use that to you advantage when choosing who you schedule to come to your home for a bid.  Read reviews, research company’s websites and search for information about their experience and qualifications.  Most of the good companies specializing in furnace replacement will promote their achievements and experience.  This is important in our industry.  For every HVAC company doing things the right way, there are often two to three conducting themselves in non ethical fashion.  Try to not let price be the deciding factor as you often get what you pay for.  Especially when there is any ductwork involved.  You want a company that prides themselves on craftsmanship and customer satisfaction rather than getting you to sign on the dotted line.  When an estimator shows up to bid your furnace replacement, try to get a feel for if he is a commission based salesman or an actual qualified technician.  Ask lots of questions and try to get pricing on multiple furnaces at different efficiency levels and price points.

We pride ourselves on quality furnace installation.  Our team is experienced in almost all forms of furnace replacement.  Having been located in St Louis for over 60 years, there are not many install jobs we haven’t dealt with before.  Many of the work we do is repeat business referrals of customers we’ve been working with for decades.  I would put our level of craftsmanship of custom ductwork up against anyone in the St Louis area.  We work with customers to come up with the best heating solution that fits your home and family’s needs.  Not our pocketbook.  We also offer financing on new furnaces, and are very reasonably priced.  Vitt Heating and Cooling is a family owned and operated company spanning three generations.  Our team stands by their work.