High-Efficiency Furnace Replacement
You should consider whether you should upgrade to a furnace or a heat pump when efficiency is a priority. If you already have a natural gas furnace, a high-efficiency furnace can make a lot of sense. The standard modern gas furnace is about 80% efficient. Condensing furnaces are 90% efficient or higher, which can make a big difference in the years ahead.
For most homes, we’ll recommend upgrading to a heat pump. Even for homes with gas furnaces, conversion to a heat pump is often worth the investment. Consider that even a standard air-source heat pump is about 300% to 400% efficient. The other main benefit is that a heat pump provides both heating and cooling. That means you can have one system to meet your year-round HVAC needs rather than a furnace and a central AC.
Unlike furnaces, heat pumps are available in both ducted and ductless configurations. Most homes in our service area have central heat pumps. Still, ductless mini-splits are a strong option for older houses that don’t have ducts. We also recommend them for bedroom zoning and for home additions, garages, sunrooms, and other hard-to-cool living spaces.
For all heating setups, we recommend programmable or smart thermostats. A programmable thermostat can lower annual heating costs by up to 8% through automatic temperature scheduling. Smart thermostats often provide additional ways to save. Beneficial features can include demand response program compatibility and energy monitoring.
One of the advantages of a ductless mini-split is that it uses zoning. Zoning eliminates unnecessary energy use and allows for personalized comfort. If you have a central heating system, we can upgrade it with a zone control system. This generally requires a variable-speed air handler, duct dampers, and one or more smart thermostats with zone control. This can increase your energy savings by as much as 30% in the winter and in the summer.
