If you are in need of furnace services including furnace installation, maintenance or repair, call Vines Restoration, Plumbing & HVAC. With over 30 years of experience working in the Myrtle Beach community, Vines is a name you can trust. We hire only the best HVAC technicians that have extensive knowledge of furnace servicing.
Furnaces are probably the most common heating system used in homes today, attributing to about 60% of the systems currently installed. They are the second most efficient type of heating system used, and newer models are much more efficient than their older counterparts. Older furnaces are only around 65% efficient, compared to today’s more technologically advanced systems, which are up to 98% efficient.
Types Of Furnaces Available
Choosing the right type of furnace is important, and it depends on your home’s specific needs. The three types of furnaces commonly used are gas, oil and electric. Each of these types has its own characteristics, efficiency ratings and costs, as well as pros and cons.
Gas
Gas furnaces run on natural gas, which is a plentiful natural resource. A high percentage of furnaces operating are natural gas systems. A local utility company supplies the gas by way of a supply pipe installed in your home.
- Low operating cost
- Most efficient per dollar
- Quick to heat up
- Cleaner burning fuel
- Reduces the overall demand for electricity
- Pipelines are not available to all homes
- Expensive to have installed
- All rooms in the home must keep the same temperature
- Requires routine cleaning and servicing
Oil
To create heat, oil furnaces burn fuel oil. A local oil supplier delivers the oil to a tank located in or near your home. The fuel in the tank is monitored so that it does not run low during the colder times of the year.
- Available in remote areas
- More effective than a gas furnace
- Gives off more heat than gas because oil burns hotter
- Can have a lifespan of up to 30 years if properly maintenanced
- Good for extremely low temperatures
- Most expensive furnace type
- Home must have a tank
- Prices to heat the home fluctuate based on the cost of crude oil
- Needs filters to be changed and more cleaning than other types of furnaces
- Tank must be monitored and deliveries scheduled
Electric
Electric furnaces use electricity which powers heating coils to generate heat in your home. Because they do not burn fuel, there is no carbon monoxide or exhaust gases produced.
- Better for the environment
- Temperature can be adjusted from room to room
- Electricity is usually available to most homes
- Heats quicker than other types of furnaces
- Does not produce harmful fumes
- Installation costs are low
- Quiet
- Operating costs are higher
- Produces a dry heat which can affect things like skin and nasal passages
- If the electricity goes out, your heat goes out with it
Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE)
When you are deciding on a furnace, it is important to check the system’s Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE) rating. This is the standard indicator of how efficient a furnace is. It will show the amount of energy in the fuel that is turned into usable heat and the amount that is wasted. For instance, a furnace that has an AFUE of 83 percent converts 83 percent of its energy to heat, while the other 17 percent is lost by way of exhaust or leakage. Higher AFUE numbers mean higher furnace efficiency. A furnace with AFUE 90 percent and above is considered a high-efficiency system.
Choosing A Furnace Servicing Company You Can Trust
If your furnace is in need of servicing in the middle of a cold winter season, you want to call a company that has built a reputation on reliability and professionalism. Vines Restoration, Plumbing & HVAC will respond quickly to your furnace emergency and have you back in warmth and comfort in no time.
