Based on your home and needs, we recommend mid-range furnace options.
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A Look at Some of the Best Mid-range Furnaces
Here’s a look at some of the best furnace models in this range from some of the most popular brands in Canada.
However, keep in mind that this is just a sample selection of popular models and doesn’t necessarily mean you should ONLY consider these brands or models.
Nothing beats getting an actual free in-home estimate from a trusted local contractor who can properly evaluate and assess your needs, and make the best recommendations for you.
Or browse and compare over 100 other models from the 20 top brands in Canada here >>
Mid-range Furnaces to Consider
ENERGY STAR®: Yes
Burner Type: Single-stage
Blower Type: Multi-speed ECM
Price Range: $4,800 to $5,400
ENERGY STAR®: Yes
Burner Type: Single-stage
Blower Type: Constant torque ECM
Price Range: $4,500 to $5,600
ENERGY STAR®: Yes
Burner Type: Two-stage
Blower Type: Multi-speed
Price Range:
ENERGY STAR®: Yes
Burner Type: Two-stage
Blower Type: Variable-speed ECM
Price Range: $3,500 to $5,500
ENERGY STAR®: No
Burner Type: Single-stage
Blower Type: Multi-speed ECM
Price Range: $4,400 to $5,000
ENERGY STAR®: Yes
Burner Type: Single-stage
Blower Type: Constant torque
Price Range: $4,200 to $4,800
ENERGY STAR®: Yes
Burner Type: Dual Stage
Blower Type: Variable Speed
Price Range: $5,000 to $5,600
ENERGY STAR®: Yes
Burner Type: Modulating
Blower Type: Variable Speed
Price Range: $4,330 – $5,160
Choosing the Right Furnace
Furnaces cost thousands of dollars, so when it’s time to upgrade your heating system, you’ll want to make sure you get a furnace that’s right for your home and that will keep your family warm and happy for many years.
Furnaces can be divided into three categories based on budget, and your quiz results indicate you’re looking for something mid-range. A mid-range furnace isn’t the cheapest or the most expensive, it will have a good efficiency rating, and it will likely have a few additional features or technologies.
This furnace recommendation guide will highlight what’s common with mid-range furnaces, including price ranges, features, warranties, and more. It will also look at some of the best mid-range furnaces.
Today, we’ll help you find a furnace that meets all your needs in terms of budget, efficiency, technology, comfort, and convenience.
Consider a Dual-Stage Furnace
Many of the mid-range furnaces on the market are two-stage furnaces. A two-stage furnace has more than just On and Off settings: when the furnace is running, it has separate low and high settings. For the most part, the furnace will operate on the lower setting for quieter and more efficient performance.
When the mercury drops or you turn up the heat, the furnace will kick into high gear and increase the heating output to keep your home and family warm.
Two-stage furnaces aren’t quite as sophisticated as modulating ones (a ‘modulating’ burner can burn at multiple precise heat levels), but they’re more advanced than single-stage furnaces. Some mid-range furnaces are single-stage, meaning the furnace doesn’t have a high and low setting when it’s running, so these tend to be more affordable, but louder and less efficient.
The Benefits of a Dual-Stage Furnace
When there’s room in the budget, there are lots of reasons to choose a two-stage furnace over a single-stage model. Let’s look at what those are:
- Efficiency: Two-stage furnaces are more efficient than single-stage ones because they can operate at a lower speed while still keeping your home warm, and this means less energy use.
- Cheaper to operate: Better efficiency means less energy use, and that translates to cheaper heating bills.
- Quieter: The low stage on a two-stage furnace makes less noise than the constant speed of a single-stage furnace. Plus, mid-range furnaces often have additional noise-dampening design elements.
- Features: Mid-range, two-stage furnaces usually have more cool features and technologies than budget models. We’ll talk more about those features later.
- Longer warranties: Some HVAC manufacturers offer warranty terms based on furnace tier, so it’s possible that a two-stage, mid-range furnace will come with a longer warranty than a single-stage or entry-level furnace.
- Improved humidity and temperature control: Two-stage furnaces are better at controlling humidity and keeping temperatures consistent throughout the house.
Typical Price Range: $4,000 – $6,000 (including installation)
There can be a rather large price range for mid-range furnaces, and depending on what you’re looking for, you might want to budget anywhere between $4,000 and $6,000 (including installation) for your new furnace.
There are lots of things that can impact this cost, so here are some things to keep in mind when budgeting:
- Always check for available rebates
- Some brands charge a premium for the brand name
- A unit with a higher AFUE rating will cost more to purchase, but less to operate
- If you want cool features and tech, then be prepared to spend a little more
- The larger the furnace, the bigger the price tag, but you have to get a furnace that’s properly sized for your home
- If you live in an urban area, then increased HVAC competition could mean cheaper prices versus in rural areas
- A furnace with multiple zones will cost more
Installation costs will account for part of the final price, and this can be more or less depending on your home, how much retrofitting is needed, the location of the unit, required upgrades to meet the latest safety codes, where you live, the company you deal with (cheaper isn’t always better!) and so on.
Average Efficiency Rating: 96%
Modern mid-range furnaces have excellent AFUE ratings. AFUE is annual fuel utilization efficiency, and this measures how efficiently a furnace uses fuel. The higher the rating, the better the efficiency, and the lower your energy bills.
Most mid-range furnaces have AFUE ratings around 96 percent. However, some are a little lower, around 95 percent efficient, and a few have AFUE ratings as high as 96.5 or even 97 percent.
What Features to Look for in a Mid-Range Furnace
Most manufacturers reserve their best tech and most advanced features for their premium models, but there are still plenty of cool perks you can get with mid-range heating systems.
Here are a few of the features, technologies, and advanced design specifications that are more common with mid-range furnaces:
- Two-stage gas valves: you might pay more upfront, but you’ll save more in the long run on energy bills
- Variable-speed blower motors, such as ECM motors, which are more efficient, quieter, and have better humidity and temperature control
- Smart or programmable thermostat compatibility, which could maximize the efficiency of the heating system and save you even more on energy bills
- Apps: a few manufacturers have mid-range furnaces that can be controlled through apps on your smartphone or tablet
- Noise-reducing features, such as soft-mounted blowers, insulation, and variable-speed technology
- Self-diagnostics systems that can reduce maintenance times and costs
- ENERGY STAR® certification: most mid-range furnaces are certified, and while you might pay more for this, it means your furnace is guaranteed to have improved performance and efficiency, which means reduced operating costs
- Secondary heat exchangers (condensing furnaces) that trap moisture from the exhaust and recycle the energy for better efficiency
- Ultra-low nitrogen oxide emissions, which indicate that the furnace is better for the environment than other models
- Easy and versatile installation: many mid-range furnaces have been specially designed with simple installation and easy service for reduced labour costs
- Communicating technology: a couple brands have mid-range models with communicating technology that monitors system performance and communicates with the thermostat to optimize performance
Warranties on Mid-Range Furnaces
Lifetime Heat Exchanger Warranties
Just about every mid-range furnace on the market, regardless of brand, is backed by a 10-year parts warranty and a lifetime warranty for the heat exchanger.
This is good for two reasons: the warranty could save you money, but also the manufacturer truly stands behind the unit’s most expensive and most important component—the heat exchanger.
Beyond the standard parts and heat exchanger warranties, some brands also offer additional unit replacement warranties. This means that if a major component should fail during the warranty coverage period, then you can opt to get a brand new unit free of charge instead of replacing the damaged component.
For brands that do offer the unit replacement warranty on mid-range models, the warranty period is usually 10 years.
What to Do if There’s Less Room in the Budget
When you want a mid-range furnace but aren’t working with a large budget, there are ways you can save on a new furnace, but you might have to compromise on a few things.
Fewer features: For one thing, look for a mid-range furnace that has only basic features. The less proprietary technology a furnace has, the more affordable it will be.
Single-stage: You can also look for single-stage mid-range furnaces instead of two-stage ones, though single-stage furnaces are noisier, aren’t as efficient, and aren’t as good at controlling humidity or maintaining consistent temperatures.
Lower AFUE: Similarly, you can look for a mid-range furnace with a slightly lower AFUE rating. This will reduce the purchase price, but it also means you won’t save as much on energy bills.
Rebates: Rebates are offered through the government, local HVAC distributors, utility companies, manufacturers, and banks, and sometimes you can offset the cost of a better furnace with rebates.
Important Things to Consider When Buying a Mid-Range Furnace
Budget will most likely be the largest factor that informs your furnace purchase, and while you might be tempted to consider brand second, here are some other things you should think about as well:
The size of the furnace is more important than the brand because the wrong size could lead to an uncomfortable house or a shorter life for the furnace.
Spend the money to have the furnace installed and serviced by a professional HVAC technician who will make sure the job’s done right and safely. Professional service is also more important than brand.
You can use our independent contractor certification program to find trusted local contractors for installation, service, and maintenance.
Find a trusted certified partner in your area today…
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