How to find the best furnace-prices
Home furnace prices vary greatly depending on type, brand and model. If you are looking to find the best price for a new furnace it is worth considering first the kind of fuel you would like the heating system to use. Older forced air or oil furnace users may want to convert their heating system to one that utilises natural gas instead as this fuel is likely to reduce consumption costs in the long term even though switching rates may appear higher to begin with. On the other hand, if you have continuous, free or inexpensive access to natural wood resources you may be better off pursuing a wood-burning furnace or an add-on wood burner to keep your fuel costs at the bare minimum. There is also the option of using geothermal energy to power the home furnace. These heat pumps tap into natural and renewable energy resources making them the more environmentally friendly choice for heating the home. They can be quite expensive to install on existing homes, but in the same respect they can also be quite easily incorporated in the construction plans for a new home. It is highly recommended to check all the fuel options available to you and that numerous estimates are gathered from suppliers before a new furnace is acquired or an existing system is placed with a like for like version of fuelling. Fuel usage is usually worth prioritizing in your search for a new furnace if it represents your highest cost.
Another issue that requires careful thought when new furnace prices are being compared is whether or not the unit being considered is the right size for your home. Installing a furnace that is too large or too small for your home will not keep you warmer but simply wastes energy and increases heating costs in the long run. A good way of ensuring that the model you get for your home is the right size is by acquiring several estimates from heating, ventilating and air conditioning contractors, making sure that the square footage of your home is factored in their recommendation of a new or replacement furnace. When speculating on the efficiency of a new model and the duration for installation and replacement costs to be recouped it is worth bearing in mind that not all new high efficiency furnaces offer the best price in the long term. This is because it can sometimes take decades for the added cost of a high efficiency system to be recovered, meaning in certain cases it might be a better choice to buy a slightly less efficient furnace. Efficiency ratings above eighty percent are generally sufficient for quick savings to be received, especially if the furnace is acquired through financing.
Once you have decided on the type of furnace you would like installed in your home and are certain that it is of the correct dimensions you can start to think about getting the best furnace price. New natural gas furnaces with an efficiency rating of ninety percent at least start at around $3,000 for the furnace. When installation is included total costs can run into five figures quite easily. This is especially the case if your home requires a brand new gas line. As well as saving on energy use, a multi-stage high efficiency gas furnace will normally be more comfortable than a traditional gas furnace for those who can afford it and intend to stay in that home at least, or for a further, five to ten years. The efficiency rating of multi-stage gas furnaces is usually between ninety-five and ninety-seven percent and furnace pricing for these particular models start at around $3,500 for one unit. The difference between this type of furnace and a traditional gas furnace is that unlike the conventional version which always cycles on and off multi-stage furnaces utilise variable speed blowers to consistently maintain the correct indoor temperature. This is one of the main reasons why such models come with a higher price tag.
Those planning to stay in their home for less than five years are more likely to get the best price from less efficient furnaces. If you are on a tighter budget but absolutely need to replace your furnace right away the best prices will probably also come from choosing a less efficient model. A gas furnace with an eighty percent efficiency grading can be purchased for around $2,000 and will do a good job of heating your home without asking too much from your wallet. Natural gas furnaces are typically the most efficient type of furnaces mainly because they are the cheapest to run. If you cannot acquire a gas furnace, an oil furnace is normally the next best choice. Oil furnaces do not come with the high efficiency ratings of natural gas furnaces because of the moisture problems the oil creates in the chimney at efficiency ratings above eighty-seven percent. When shopping for an oil furnace you should look for models between eighty-five and eighty-seven percent efficiency to get the best new furnace price. Oil furnaces between this range of efficiency start at around $2,000 for the furnace unit. Alternatively, if you are unable to install a natural gas furnace or a wood burning furnace in your home you may want to look into using propane gas. This is the same fuel that is used to light gas grills and is typically stored in an outdoor tank. Propane gas is also less expensive and prices for the fuel do not fluctuate as much as oil. Additionally, it burns much cleaner and comes with less of the smell that often accompanies burning oil. Propane furnace prices usually start at around $1,300, excluding installation.
Replacement Prices
The replacement cost of a furnace will depend on several things. Your geographic location, the size and type of your furnace, and whether or not the new installation requires duct work or any additional work that needs to be done. It is therefore recommended to get a few estimates for your furnace replacement as well as to compare costs, contractors and different brands of furnace providers. A gas furnace for a smaller home generally does not cost as much as one built for a bigger living space. This means that furnace prices are largely influenced by the capability of the unit, which often includes different levels of efficiency and multi-stage furnaces. For single stage furnaces prices tend to rise as efficiency ratings increase.
Most gas furnace replacements can be done within a day or so. However, some can take a couple of days to complete if additional adjustments are necessary, such as when the existing gas boiler being replaced is very old. Costs of actually replacing the gas boiler vary, but nevertheless are largely affected by levels of efficiency. The more efficient the boiler is, the higher priced it is going to be. Further costs for a gas boiler replacement can include local authority safety inspections, added ventilation shafts or chimneys and the removal of an old fuel tank in some instances. The replacement costs for an oil furnace are much the same in that some installations may require additional modifications in the overall layout of the system. The oil furnace is often considered as an alternative choice when a gas furnace is not possible to implement or not available in the event of an emergency purchase. One of the main reasons for this is that oil furnaces cannot reach the same high efficiency levels as gas furnaces. Although the usage of an oil furnace can last for up to twenty years they usually require regular maintenance, sometimes on a more frequent basis than other types of furnaces.
In terms of installation costs, electric furnaces are one of the least expensive units mainly because they do not require as much duct work and ventilation as natural gas and oil furnaces. However, like most electrical appliances, they tend to be more expensive to operate. Most electrical furnaces can be found with an efficiency rating of eighty to ninety percent. These systems are the ideal alternative option to gas or oil heating of the home, and just like their counterpart they can last for a very long period of time. On the other hand heat pumps provide one of the most efficient methods of heating the home as the energy used is both renewable and natural. Heat pump prices are much more widely varied compared to electric furnaces, but either way there are plenty of models available that will surely be applicable to your home environment and within your budget.
Furnace Brands
The largest producers of furnaces are Trane, Carrier, Lennox, and Rheem. Each of these brands make both single stage and multistage furnaces, and all manufacture quite a few models with an efficiency rating of ninety percent or above. Some professional findings have shown no differences in the reliability of the furnaces manufactured by these major brands. The same cannot be said about their prices however as they are somewhat varied. Ultimately, the final cost will largely rest on how much is being charged for installation, which itself is dependent on how much change in ductwork is required in the home. A smart way to get a rough estimate of the overall asking price is to compare quotes from separate contractors. These estimates will give you a clear idea of how much more a high efficiency furnace will cost ahead of time. Although high efficiency furnace prices may be more expensive upfront they can generate massive savings in the long term, particularly for homes that experience extremely cold temperatures and currently have high heating bills due to high usage. For homes with less usage and not so high heating bills, an eighty percent efficiency furnace may be more cost effective.
No matter the type of home heating system you decide to install, getting the best furnace price will almost certainly include getting several estimates from different contractors. It is highly recommended to get all the estimates necessary and look over all options extensively before making your decision. Only then can you purchase with confidence knowing you have done all that can be done to get the best new furnace price possible for your home.
