You’ve probably asked around your neighborhood for information on some common heating systems. Now that you might be in the market for a new heater (now that winter is almost here), you’re trying to get a better grip on the most useful, efficient, and powerful heating systems on the market. Especially if you’ve got young kids or elderly family members, that powerful heat is going to mean all the difference on a chilly day.
So, let’s discuss the advantages and disadvantages of a gas furnace. We want to cover why they’re so common, why they work as well as they do, and how they compare in the field of energy efficiency. Keep in mind that gas furnaces are so common, that you’ll rarely meet an HVAC technician who can’t give you proper heating service in Savannah, GA, which is a huge benefit.
Let’s get started!
How Do Gas Furnaces Work?
Gas furnaces are powerful heating machines that turn natural gas into heat for your home through the power of combustion. That process happens when natural gas is funneled into your home through a gas line and ignited by a series of burners. Those burners only turn on when your thermostat signals them to, so the system is inactive until that point, and the natural gas doesn’t go anywhere.
Then, when the unit is on, the burned gas creates two things–heat and fumes like carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and smoke. The fumes are sent away from the system to be exhausted outdoors at a port, while the heat is transferred into your home’s clean, breathable air where you can enjoy it comfortably.
Advantages of These Systems
Here are just a few unique advantages of a gas furnace.
- Affordability. Gas furnaces are some of the more affordable high-efficiency systems on the market. When compared to heat pumps and other year-round systems, they’re undeniably cheaper. Natural gas is fairly inexpensive when compared to other fuels, like oil, as well.
- High AFUE ratings. Most gas furnaces are designed with high AFUE (annual fuel utilization efficiency) ratings, meaning that they turn almost all of the gas burned into usable heat. This lowers your utility bill and makes your home feel more comfortable.
- Safety protocols and powerful comfort. Gas furnaces are powerful and they’re extremely safe, thanks to some safety protocols that exist inside of the system.
Disadvantages of a Gas Furnace
Here are three reasons why you might want to invest in a different system.
- It runs on gas. Some areas of the country have extremely affordable electricity, or easily accessed wind, solar, and hydroelectric power that is more affordable. An electric heater might be a better option in that case.
- It can’t provide cooling as well. Heat pumps can provide heating and cooling, whereas gas furnaces can only heat your home. This might be a dealbreaker for some people.
- It requires a gas line. If you don’t have a gas line connected to your home, a gas furnace installation might be a lot more expensive.
Thankfully, if you’re still unsure of where to go from here, you can contact our pros for support.
Allow us to do a quality job at a fair price by getting in touch with the team at AAction Air Conditioning & Heating Co. Inc.