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Heating & Air Conditioning

Purchasing new furnace - what do I need to know?

14 years ago

Hi.

I purchased my house about 2 years ago. The home was constructed in 1927 and the furnace looks almost as old - but it still works relatively well.

Since we plan to be in the home for another 5-10 years and would like to be comfortable in the winter without resorting to thermal underwear and hats (while inside!) we're thinking of taking advantage of the $1500 tax credit and $600 utility rebate.

We live in upstate NY and are interested in getting a high efficiency furnace (no AC). Our house is about 1500 sq ft.

What I'd like in a 95+ AFUE furnace is:

-two-stage variable speed motor

- stainless steel primary and secondary heat exchangers

What else should I be looking for or asking questions about?

We received one quote from the Carrier dealer for a 58MVC080.

We'll also be getting estimates from a Rheem dealer and a Lennox dealer.

Thanks in advance.

Caroline

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Comments (3)

tigerdunes
14 years ago
caroline

what size is your existing furnace.

The Carrier MVC is a great furnace. You do want the Infinity controller.

Others worth considering are the high eff York Modulating, the Lennox G71p, Trane XC 95. you definitely want the correct stat/controller with any of these furnaces. dealer will need to verify fed govt tax credit.

for a home this old, I recommend a thorough ductwork inspection as to size, supplies/returns, leakage, insulation properties, etc.

IMO
Good Luck!
veesubotee
14 years ago
You could likely save yourself a lot of time by asking questions by qualifying contractors over the phone before you invite them over.

Foremost: How do you determine what size furnace I need? Ans: We do a comprehensive heat calculation (also known as Manual J), and will provide a printed copy (may have to pay a fee, but usually refunded if you sign their contract. Not acceptable: I've been in the business for x years and my experience tells me y. Or, I just replace with the same size as you currently have.

Next: Will you examine my duct system and determine if it is adequate by a Manual D or static pressure testing? Manual D is kind of hard to come by. If you get a real 'J', consider yourself lucky.

On installation, will you check that all of the settings (temperature rise, blower speed, gas pressure, etc.) are correct and provide a written record of your findings.

I'm sure there are others. Stand by for additional input.

V
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jake2007
14 years ago
I think you are on the right track.

Look at your insulation first. An old house often doesn't have adequate insulation. Do this before you have contractors size the furnace. Increasing the insulation in the attic can be relatively inexpensive if you use blow-in cellulose. It can also be a DIY job.

Insulating the walls is more expensive.

It can really be worth it to have an energy audit.

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