Get These Three Features In Your Next Furnace

Comparing furnaces is not always easy since there are so many features to assess. However, if you are looking for ease of use and comfort, there are just a few features to zero on. Below are three top features that will make your furnace easy to use.

1. Variable Speed Blower

The furnace blower is responsible for distributing heated air throughout the house. The blower has a motor that drives a fan to circulate the air. The blower's speed determines how much air each part of the house is getting at any time.

Conventional blowers can only deliver heated air at a single, specified speed. This means you might have a lot of warm air blowing through your house even if you only need minimal cooling.

With a variable speed blower, however, you determine how much heated air the furnaces pushes through the house at any time. Thus, variable-speed blowers improve comfort since they allow precise temperature control.

2. Electric Ignition

Traditional furnaces use a pilot light to ignite the furnace's burners. The pilot burner also runs on fuel, and it needs to stay burning as long as the furnace is on. The furnace burners also go off if the electric ignition goes off.

Pilot lights are more prone to malfunctions than electric ignition. Pilot light malfunctions lead to inefficient or no combustion, which produces uncomfortable temperatures. For example, strong draft, debris accumulation, and fuel issues can all affect a pilot light. You don't have to worry about all that when using electric ignition.

3. Dual Heat Exchanger

Heat exchange involves moving heat from one medium to another. Some furnaces use only one heat exchanger while others use two. Furnaces with dual heat exchangers are also called condensing furnaces.

Every furnace has a primary heat exchanger where the furnace burners heat the circulating air. With a conventional furnace, the heated air circulates through the house while the exhaust gases vent out of the house. The venting wastes some energy since exhaust gases have some residual heat in them.

Condensing furnaces have a secondary heat exchanger to extract heat from the hot exhaust gases. The second heat exchanger improves the energy efficiency of the furnace. The second heat exchanger also improves indoor comfort because the furnace doesn't have to run a long time to keep the house warm.

The best way to get the furnace you want is to discuss your needs with a heating technician. The technician will match your needs to available features, and you won't regret your choice.