Keep in mind that when buying a new furnace, you’re actually buying two items – the furnace and its installation. Use the items below as a “checklist” of sorts, to refer to before you invest in buying a new furnace.
1. Remember that the even the best furnaces – if they’re poorly installed – will not deliver what they should. Likewise, even the best installation won’t make a poorly designed furnace perform better than it can (and its limits). Choose wisely, and do your research.
2. Learn the important abbreviations associated with heating. For example, AFUE stands for Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency, and is a rating that shows how well the furnace uses gas supplies. The bigger the number, the better it uses the supply.
3. Do some comparative online shopping, and always ask questions if you have them. Use online comparative shopping tools and find out what’s best for your home by going to the Trane “What’s best for my home?” page here.
4. Check Energy Star certifications at www.energystar.gov. We highly recommend only buying Energy Star certified products.