Are you wondering if your current furnace will get you through next winter, or starting to see the heating and maintenance bills piling up?
Older furnaces can be a nuisance in terms of higher energy bills, increased maintenance calls, lower reliability, and sometimes even noise. And when you live in Red Deer, you don’t want to have to worry about whether your furnace is going to make it through the current winter.
If you’re having trouble with an older furnace or thinking about upgrading to save energy and money, then this guide will tell you everything you need to know about buying a new high-efficiency furnace in Red Deer.
New Furnace Prices in Red Deer
Average Furnace Prices in Red Deer
The average price of a new furnace in Red Deer is $3000 to $5000, including installation costs.
Higher than average
Slightly above-average price range, which may be due to factors like a more complicated installation, or purchasing a top-of-the-line unit or premium brand.
Typical price range: $3000 – $5500
The average price range for a typical high-efficiency unit with a typical installation from an established, fully licensed & insured local HVAC contractor. Prices will vary within this range based on installation factors, brand & model, unit size/BTU output & efficiency, among other things.
Lower than average
Below-market pricing; be careful if the price is exceptionally low. The lower the price is below average, the higher likelihood that you may receive a more hastily done installation, low-end or used components, limited labour warranty coverage & ongoing support, or the company may be less established or lacking in insurance and/or licensing & certification.
Furnace Cost Calculator
When you’re working with a tighter budget but still need to upgrade your furnace, there are things you can do to help keep the cost lower. Here are some things that can make a furnace more expensive:
- Higher efficiency ratings
- ENERGY STAR® certification
- Cool features like special heat exchanger designs
- New technologies like Wi-Fi compatibility
- Size (furnaces with higher BTU outputs cost more)
- The type of furnace (single-stage versus two-stage or modulating)
There are other factors as well, such as installation costs, where exactly you live in or around Red Deer, and how much competition there is for HVAC dealers, but you can’t really do anything about those things.
If budget is a concern, make sure to shop around and get quotes from different dealers, and look for furnace models that are eligible for rebates.
Who Are Our Top Red Deer Furnace Contractors?
About Action Furnace:
- Established, with a great track record
- Amazing feedback from verified customers
- Fully licensed, bonded, and insured
- Experienced and well-trained staff
- 24-hour emergency service
Current Promo
Action Furnace believes in everyday value pricing rather than one-off deals. If pressed, we offer 12-month interest-free purchases.
About Hydro-Flo Plumbing & Heating:
- Established, with a great track record
- Amazing feedback from verified customers
- Fully licensed, bonded, and insured
- Experienced and well-trained staff
- 24-hour emergency service
Current Promo
Carrier get up to $1750.00 off on select systems and Rheem get up to $600.00 off on select systems.
What to look for when choosing a heating & air conditioning contractor
There’s a good selection of HVAC companies in Red Deer, and there are also dealers operating in smaller outlying areas like Rimbey, Innisfail, and Olds. This additional competition can help to keep prices lower, but it also means more contractors for you to pick from.
To make your job easier, Furnace Prices has made an independent contractor certification program to evaluate furnace contractors around the country, including in Red Deer. We base our evaluations on a range of factors, such as:
- How much experience the company has
- What kind of reputation they have in the community
- What sort of training and education the technicians get
- Whether they have all the right licenses and insurance
- What their customer service is like
- Whether they offer a full range of services
- Whether they have a fair and transparent quoting process
- That they are responsive and available to clients
When we talk about a full range of services, we mean that the company will help you choose a furnace, calculate the size, and install the new unit. Beyond that, they should also be available in the future when you need maintenance, tune-ups, or even emergency repairs.
Buying a New Furnace in Red Deer
One of the main benefits of upgrading to a modern furnace is the opportunity to buy a high-efficiency unit that will reduce your heating bills. Most older furnaces are significantly less efficient than the ones being made today, so you could drastically cut your energy consumption by upgrading.
But how do you know if the furnace you’re buying is high efficiency? Here’s some data that will help:
- All high efficiency furnaces in Canada must have an annual fuel utilization efficiency (AFUE) of 90 percent or higher
- Even most of the economy furnaces on the market have AFUE ratings of 92 to 96 percent
- Any ENERGY STAR furnace will have an AFUE of 95 percent or higher
- There are furnaces on the market right now with 99 percent AFUE ratings
The higher the AFUE rating on the furnace, the more efficient it is, the less fuel it will waste, and the more money you’ll save.
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Is It Time to Replace Your Old Furnace (or Should It Be Repaired)?
Every homeowner will eventually get to the point where they have to ask themselves if they should repair or replace an older furnace. The answer isn’t always cut and dry, but there are some questions you can ask that will help you decide the right course of action.
Is Your Furnace Older than 10 years?
Modern furnaces have life spans between 15 and 20 years. When furnaces start getting up in age, they can work less efficiently, break down more often, and require expensive repairs. Moreover, because technology has improved so much over the past few years, many older furnaces have been eclipsed by modern models in terms of efficiency and performance. In other words, if your furnace is more than 10 years old and needs a major repair, then you could consider an upgrade.
How Efficient Is Your Furnace?
Efficiency is one of the most important factors in the repair/replace debate, especially when it comes to older furnaces. Depending on how old your current unit is, it could be only 80, 70, or even 60 percent efficient. We’ve already discussed that modern high-efficiency furnaces start at 90 percent AFUE, so if you could stand to increase the efficiency of your furnace by 10 percent or more, then you should consider upgrading.
Is Your Furnace Still Under Warranty?
An older furnace might need an expensive repair, but if the manufacturer is still covering the cost of the repair or replacement part, then it’s probably worthwhile to get the repair instead of buying a brand new furnace. This is especially true if you’re otherwise happy with the unit’s efficiency and performance.
Are Your Heating and Maintenance Bills Continually Going Up?
A sure-fire sign that it’s time for an upgrade is when heating bills keep going up even though the cost of fuel is staying the same. Wear, tear, and age can negatively impact furnace efficiency, especially if the furnace hasn’t been carefully maintained. Similarly, older furnaces can be prone to more breakdowns, so if you find that you’ve had to put your HVAC company on speed dial, then you should probably start shopping around for an upgrade.
What Will It Cost to Repair Your Furnace?
Furnace repairs run the gamut from minor and cheap to major and expensive, and the cost of a potential repair can help you determine if the maintenance is worth it. The rule of thumb is this: if a repair is going to cost 50 percent of the price of a new furnace, then you might as well just upgrade the furnace instead of repairing it. The rule isn’t set in stone, and it probably doesn’t apply if the furnace is still under warranty.
Is Your Furnace Loud?
Modern furnaces are extremely quiet, and this is a major selling feature for many brands. By contrast, older furnaces can be noisy and disruptive, especially if there are maintenance issues that aren’t being addressed. Although a loud furnace doesn’t necessarily mean you have to upgrade, it’s something to consider along with the other questions on this list.
What to Look for in a Furnace Warranty
Warranties might not be as interesting as cool technologies like Wi-Fi furnaces, but they’re just as important, and you should pay attention to them when you’re shopping around. This is why warranties matter:
- They give you an idea of how long the manufacturer expects the unit to last
- They can save you on labour costs
- They’ll leave more money in your pocket after repairs
- They’re proof that you’re making a sound investment
So how do you know if a furnace warranty is any good? We’ll tell you! Here are the good, better, and best warranty terms for heat exchangers, parts, labour, and unit replacements:
| Component | Standard Warranty Terms | Good Warranty Terms | Best Warranty Terms |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heat Exchanger | 10 years | 20 years | Lifetime |
| Parts | Five years | 10 years | 10 years |
| Unit Replacement | None | One- to three-years | 10+ years |
| Labour | None | One year | Three years |
Just about every manufacturer offers regular and registered warranty terms. To get the longer registered terms, you’ll have to register the unit online with the manufacturer within two to three months of having your new furnace installed.
Popular Furnace Brands in Red Deer
Certain things, like proper sizing, professional installation, and warranty terms are more pertinent than brand when it comes to buying the right furnace.
We say this mostly because most of the brands on the market are made by just a small handful of manufacturers, and because furnaces that are sold in Canada all have to meet some efficiency and performance standards.
Eventually, you will have to make a decision about what brand you want, and if you need to narrow down your search, you can divide the brands into categories based on budget.
There are economy brands that include York, Goodman, and KeepRite. There are high-end brands that include Lennox and Carrier. And then there are the brands that are perfect for a mid-range budget, and they include:
Top Brands by Tier and Price
Economy Tier
Average price: $3,500
Brand example: Goodman
Mid-Range
Average price: $4,850
Brand example: Rheem
Premium
Average price: $6,000+
Brand example: Lennox
Furnace Rebates in Red Deer
Rebates can save you hundreds of dollars when you buy a new furnace, and some rebates can even be worth $1,000 or more, and include things like free installation.
It’s worthwhile noting that furnace rebates typically only apply to high-efficiency models. Sometimes the rebate will even dictate that the furnace has to be ENERGY STAR certified, or that it has to be a certain type of furnace, such as condensing (meaning it has a secondary heat exchanger for additional energy production).
Another thing about rebates is you have to qualify for them before making your purchase, so you should always check to see what rebates are available—and for what types of furnaces—before you buy.
Current Furnace Deals, Offers & Promotions in Red Deer
Current Promo for Action Furnace:
Action Furnace believes in everyday value pricing rather than one-off deals. If pressed, we offer 12-month interest-free purchases.
Options for Financing a Furnace in Red Deer
Financing is a convenient and budget-friendly way to upgrade your current furnace and replace it with something modern and high-efficiency. You can even use financing to increase your budget and buy a furnace that’s more efficient or more technologically advanced than you would otherwise consider.
Many reputable HVAC dealers offer financing in the form of:
- Payment deferrals
- Lease agreements
- Bad credit loans
- Zero- or low-interest financing
Terms usually range from one to 15 years, giving you the freedom to work out a repayment plan that fits your budget.
Installation & Permits Required
A gas permit is required for the city of Red Deer.
Red Deer Information
Red Deer is a moderately large city in central Alberta that’s roughly halfway between Calgary and Edmonton. The city is a haven for both city-dwellers and nature-lovers alike, with attractions like the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame, Bower Ponds, Waskasoo Park, and more.
In winter, Canyon Ski Resort is a favourite among locals and tourists alike, but Red Deer’s proximity to the Rockies makes it a great place to live if you like weekend trips to the mountains for backcountry skiing and snowboarding, snowshoeing, and other adventures.
Red Deer Statistics
Population: 103,588
Average summer temperature: 15.5 C
Average winter temperature: -9.3 C
Popular Neighbourhoods in Red Deer
- Clearview Meadows
- Anders on the Lake
- Bower
- Rosedale Estates
- Grandview
- Sunnybrook
- Highland Green
- Clearview Ridge
- Deer Park
- Downtown
- Eastview
- Aspen Ridge
- Fairview
- Glendale
- Waskasoo
- Golden West
- Vanier
- Inglewood West
- Lonsdale
- Michener Hill
- Morrisroe
- Normandeau
- Oriole Park
- Johnstone Crossing
- Riverside Meadows
