A furnace provides central heating throughout your home.  There are several types of heating systems with one of the most common in Canada being a forced-air furnace.  Forced-air furnaces work by blowing heated air through ducts that deliver the warm air to rooms throughout the house via air registers.  This is a preferred method amongst consumers because it provides heat quickly and it has a quick recovery time when temperature is decreased overnight to save energy, so it doesn’t take long for the home to warm back up again in the morning.

The forced-air furnace when coupled with an efficient fan and motor can help the air conditioning unit send cold air throughout the house as well.  Providing the consumer more value for their money.

Energy-efficient furnaces can also make your home more attractive for resale value, as more and more consumers are conscious of the environment and how their energy dollars are being spent. Replacing your furnace is a fairly significant investment, so knowing that it has been recently upgraded is always a bonus for a potential home buyer.

When choosing a furnace for your home it is important to educate yourself on the following factors: estimated annual energy consumption, operating cost and energy efficiency rating of the furnace.

These are the four major “types” of furnace, though a furnace can be both modulating and variable speed (as this refers to burner type and blower speed, respectively). Here’s a comparison of the pros and cons of each one.

See here to read our more in-depth breakdown and comparison of furnace types.

Advanced Furnace Features

The following features and technology are often featured on top of the line ENERGY STAR furnaces. There is certainly nothing wrong with buying a heating system which doesn’t have any of these features, but for those looking for peak performance and efficiency, look for the following. However furnaces with these features rarely come cheap!

• ECM Motors
• Dual heat exchangers: when two heat exchangers are used the furnace is able to draw more heat from the burned gas, which makes them more energy efficient
• Ignition systems: pilot lights are becoming a thing of the past, in favour of an electronic ignition system which increases a furnace’s efficiency rating.
• Programmable & “smart” thermostats: Not a furnace feature per se, more of an addon. But programmable thermostats are easy to use and will save you money. New ‘smart’ thermostats can learn from your personal heating preferences and adjust your home’s heating automatically, like lowering the temperature during the day when you’re at work. Turning your thermostat down just one degree each night results in a 2% reduction (PDF) on your annual heating bill.

Choosing a Fuel Type for your Furnace – Propane vs. Natural Gas vs. Oil

When choosing a fuel type for your furnace the two major options for Canadians are: natural gas or propane. The biggest factor that must be taken into consideration when deciding between a natural gas or propane furnace is whether you live in an urban or rural area.  Your location will dictate which energy source is more appropriate for your furnace.  Most urban city centers are equipped with natural gas pipelines making it the obvious choice.

In rural settings natural gas pipeline infrastructure is not as readily available or may not be installed, which makes propane the most cost-effective energy source over oil and electrical heating. Propane is somewhat less efficient than natural gas but is still a good alternative. One downside is that propane heating requires the installation of a large tank on your property, which is refilled periodically.

Oil is becoming increasingly rare as a heating fuel for homes. Oil furnaces are not energy efficient, with some having an AFUE of only 60% (PDF). That means for every energy dollar only 60 cents is going to heat your home, and the rest is being wasted, making it significantly costlier to heat your home. Not only is money being wasted and energy lost, an oil furnace puts more strain on the environment by burning more fossil fuel, which increases your eco-footprint. This is why so many Canadians are choosing to make the switch away from oil heat.

And with the exception of people living in Quebec who get relatively cheap electricity from Hydro Quebec, homeowners with electric heating in Ontario and elsewhere are increasingly switching to natural gas or propane due to high heating costs.

For more information on conversions from oil or electric to propane or gas, see here.

Warranty

Warranty information is brand specific so the amount of coverage will depend on which model and company you purchase your furnace from. These typically range from 5 year limited parts warranties to 10-year, 20-year or lifetime ‘comprehensive’ warranties.

Warranties that you are entitled to include: manufacturer warranty which includes parts warranty, heat exchanger warranty). Be sure to read the fine print carefully and ensure that you register your warranties so that they are on file. Some warranties require annual maintenance and cleaning be done a certified technician.

You may also get additional labour warranty coverage on the installation through your licensed HVAC technician who completes your new home furnace installation, typically for the period of one year.

Rebates and Incentives

Different provinces have different rebates and incentives available and these are subject to change. If you are a resident of the province of Ontario, you may be eligible for one of the following rebates and incentives, specific to ENERGY STAR propane or natural gas furnaces:

• Ontario Power Authority rebate of $250 for upgrading to an Energy Star model furnace
• Enbridge Gas Distribution: Enbridge provides $2000 toward home energy audit and upgrade costs
• Hydro One: Hydro One offers $250 off new high-efficiency furnace

For more information on current heating & cooling rebates and incentives in Canada, please see here.

Humidifiers and Air Filtration

These add-ons can help filter your home’s air and maintain optimal humidity, making air healthier and easier to breathe. Air filtration systems reduce allergens and pollutants and makes breathing easier, while also reducing the chance of mould, asthma flair ups, and other skin and respiratory issues. It is important to change your air filter periodically in order to maximize the efficiency of your furnace.

Zoned Heating

Zoned heating allows you to control the temp of individual rooms, which is a fairly expensive upgrade. It can be beneficial especially with large homes, as it allows you to heat the rooms you use the most, while keeping the others at a lower temperature when you’re not using them.

Most houses are non-zoned = 1 thermostat that controls the heating of the whole house (natural gas furnace or propane furnace). Though individual vents may have manual switches to close air flow for a particular room.

Home Assessment

There is a common myth out there that square footage is the only factor required to determine the size of a residential home heating system.  Many factors need to be taken into account when determining the appropriate furnace size to heat your home.

Other factors that may be considered during a home assessment include:

• type of insulation used
• amount of insulation
• climate
• windows: size, type, amount, direction they face
• house material – vinyl siding vs. brick
• seals
• air leakage
• vents
• ductwork

A professional will assess all of these factors in order to provide you with a home heating system that meets your home’s needs. You can request a free quote from local professionals with the form above.

• The minimum efficiency furnace you can purchase in Canada is 92% AFUE
• Top high-efficiency furnaces on the market have AFUE of 95-98%
• BTU needs to be considered when choosing the right size of heating system. Newer furnaces are more efficient so you generally won’t need as high a BTU rating as your old model. Your local expert will help you size your unit correctly.
• In some situations, a heat/loss calculation might need to be conducted by a professional to determine the right furnace for your home
• A high-efficiency furnace uses less energy and lowers your utility bills, helping offset the cost of upgrading
• Lowering the temperature on your programmable thermostat, even by 1 degree Celsius will result in a decrease on your home energy bill.

The only thing left to do is request a free quote from trusted local heating & cooling companies in your area!