Buying a new furnace for your home is a long-term commitment. Residential furnaces have an average expected service life of 15 years. That means shopping for a furnace isn’t something most homeowners do on a frequent basis. It also means you’ll be living with whatever choice you do make for quite some time. Make sure you’re getting the best deal in the here and now—but also the most efficient heating system with the best performance for the long term, too.
Affordable Fuels
Natural gas dominates the residential heating market in most parts of the country. In homes with an existing gas furnace and venting already installed, upgrading to a newer gas model is usually the preferred option. Electric furnaces have a lower upfront purchase price and are actually more efficient than gas. However, the substantially higher cost of electricity versus gas in most areas makes them more expensive to operate.
Efficiency Matters
The standard for measuring heating efficiency is the AFUE (annual fuel utilization efficiency) calculation. A higher AFUE indicates a unit that utilizes fuel more efficiently and delivers lower day-to-day operating costs. All furnaces sold in the U.S. must meet the federal minimum AFUE of 80 percent. High-efficiency condensing furnaces take efficiency to the next level, offering AFUE ratings as high as 95 percent. While this superior fuel conservation comes with a substantially higher sticker price, the resulting, lower utility bills should compensate for the increased upfront cost over an extended period.
Sized To Fit
“Sizing” a furnace means matching its rated BTU output to the specific heating requirements of your home and local climate. Never install a new heating system without first getting a heating load calculation performed by a qualified HVAC contractor. An oversized model that produces too much heat wastes energy and will “short cycle,” turning on and off repeatedly. Undersized furnaces can’t handle the home heating requirements and run almost nonstop, straining to meet thermostat settings.
Contact Paitson Bros. for more guidance on buying a new furnace for your home. We’ve kept Wabash Valley warm through every winter since 1922.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Terre Haute, Indiana about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).
Credit/Copyright Attribution: “lithian/Shutterstock”
Jeff Paitson is a third generation business owner who continues to run the business with the same values that have been passed down from previous generations since 1922.
Jeff’s belief is that the business belongs to Jesus Christ; therefore 10 percent of the company’s profits go toward the Maryland Community Church.
Jeff is a Terre Haute Chamber of Commerce member and in his spare time, he enjoys 
Ethan Rayburn is a lifelong resident of Terre Haute and a 2005 graduate of Purdue University.
An Eagle Scout, Ethan spent four years as a non-profit executive with the Boy Scouts of America before joining Paitson Bros. as a comfort advisor and later General Manager. In that role, Ethan has brought a renewed enthusiasm for customer care, integrity, value, and service to Paitson Bros. Heating & Air Conditioning.
Ethan enjoys singing and was a member of the Purdue Varsity Glee Club. He also enjoys playing and coaching soccer, spending time with his family and two young boys, and volunteering his time and resources with his church, Terre Haute First Baptist Church, which he has attended from a very young age.
Paitson Bros
1 (812) 232-2347
Serving the Wabash Valley, IN Area Since 1922