What Does A New Furnace Cost?
When you think of an HVAC system, you might think of the big thing in your garage that you need to replace a filter 4 times a year. That is only part of it, but that part is your furnace. If you think of an HVAC system like a person’s body, the furnace is the heart. It pumps the air that gets circulated through the vents. We get more into that in our blog post on the cost of an entire HVAC system.
Needless to say, the furnace is important. So when you need to replace or add a new furnace to an existing system, you may need to think about more than just getting the furnace installed and turned on.
In the Oregon market, a new furnace could cost you somewhere between $4000 to $8000. There are differences in the level of technology of furnaces that can affect the price of the machine itself. The furnace’s efficiency rating measures some of these differences. If a furnace is 90% efficient (meaning 90% of the heat enters the home), it will cost more than your standard system, which runs at 80% efficiency.
The price of the part itself is not the only determining factor. Unless you want to break a ton of housing codes or experience premature breakdowns, you’ll need skilled contractors to install that new furnace.
So what determines the cost of a new furnace?
How Does A Contractor Impact The Cost Of A New Furnace?
When it comes time to install your new furnace, you’ll have to pick an HVAC company to help you out. HVAC companies can fall into two broad categories, Function-Based or Performance-Based. There is usually a difference in cost between the two, but there is also a difference in the services they provide and the relationship they want to have with you as a customer.
A Function-Based Company
This kind of company will get the job done. They will get your new furnace installed, make sure it runs, and then leave. While this will get a furnace in your home, it may not be the right furnace for your home. This furnace may be inefficient or insufficient for your specific requirements. They may also not check for any code violations potentially putting your home at risk.
A Performance-Based Company
This kind of company will test to make sure that you are getting the right size of furnace. One that produces enough BTUs (British Thermal Units) to heat your home and do so efficiently. They will also make sure that the rest of your HVAC system manages that airflow, or find solutions to make sure there is no unnecessary resistance in the airflow. This approach will help you maximize the system’s efficiency and longevity. This could keep utility costs and repair costs low. It all comes down to the fine details of the craftsmanship of the entire HVAC system, not just the furnace.
What Can Go Wrong With A New Furnace?
To go into more detail with the issues we just mentioned, a lot of problems that you might have with your furnace start at the installation. Airflow is important for any HVAC system, so if something goes wrong in the furnace, it could have repercussions for the rest of your system. These are some issues that could make a new furnace cost you more over its lifetime.
Higher Energy Usage
This is one problem you will feel in your wallet. If your furnace is not the optimal fit for your home, it will run at 100% for a longer time. This means it will use more energy. Of course, that will be reflected in your energy bill. When you consider that heating is the largest expense for the average home, that adds up quickly.
Equipment Failure
The two biggest reasons for equipment failure in an HVAC system are poor installation and poor airflow. If there is too much resistance in your HVAC system, either from poor quality materials or a mismatch of parts, it will affect your furnace. The furnace will have to struggle to keep up with the requirements of your home and could be damaged. This could mean burning out the furnace coils and having to pay for repair or replacement well before it should be necessary.
Hiring a company with high-quality craftsmen to install your new furnace will help prevent these issues from happening to you.
What Makes A Good HVAC Technician?
With how important a furnace is to your quality of comfort at home, you will want to make sure the company you are hiring has quality craftsmen. They will make sure your furnace gets installed properly and help you maintain your furnace. This will increase the lifespan of your furnace and reduce energy usage, giving you the best value for your initial investment.
1. Training
A good craftsman is a well-trained craftsman. Advantage spends over six figures a year on training. This means that the crew installing your furnace is not only handy with tools, but they are technically proficient. They understand the inner workings of every part they are installing so that if performance is not where it needs to be; they can troubleshoot the problem. Other companies have comparable training programs, while others do not. Make sure the craftsmen working in your home are well trained.
2. Drug Testing
Regardless of opinion, someone should not be working with delicate machinery and systems while inebriated. The last thing you want is something to be damaged or installed incorrectly. This will not only damage the system but could void a warranty before you even get a day’s use out of your new furnace.
3. Thoroughness
A craftsman from a Performance-Based company is not just focused on making the furnace run for 10 minutes. They look at the entire HVAC system. They want to make sure that the furnace, ductwork, air conditioning, and thermostats all work together without issue. Not just that, but they want to make sure that they engineered the system to provide the required amount of heating efficiently.
4. Follow Through
The company handling the installation may offer service contracts or programs to maintain the unit they install. If that’s the case, that means they are designing the system to last. If that’s the case, that’s a win for you. Regular maintenance is cheaper than having to replace a poorly installed furnace.
When you meet with a representative from the company, you hired to install your new furnace, you can ask them about any of these details. A company should be proud of how well-skilled its employees are. Of course, a skilled craftsman will want to be paid more than an unskilled craftsman.
Keep in mind that cutting the costs on that initial investment could mean much more money spent on energy bills and repairs down the road. There have been cases where equipment has had to be replaced three times as often as a comparable system that was installed by a performance-based company.
Who Are Advantage Heating and Air Conditioning, LLC?
We hope that this article not only told you how much you should expect to spend on your new furnace but also gave you the tools to make an educated decision when having it installed. If you have questions about HVAC systems, check out some of our other blog posts. If you want to know more about us and who we are, check out our website and follow us on social media. We’re here when you need us!
