Now might be the time to upgrade.
Whether you've just moved into a quaint Washington Park bungalow or a '50s era pre-fab in Lakewood, chances are that upgrading to a high-efficiency furnace will help reduce your carbon footprint and pay for itself over time. According to energy.gov, older furnace and boiler systems are only approximately 56 to 70 percent efficient while modern heating systems are achieving levels of 98.5 percent. Often times, homeowners will recover their investment over a 5 to 7 year period, making a great way to help reduce your footprint, increase the value of your home, and avoid furnace issues (like carbon monoxide hazards).
Sounds like a pretty good bet, right? Without a doubt, but it should also be noted that efficiency improvements vary from home to home and your initial investment might be more than what you read on homeadvisor.com. Why? Well, there's actually quite a bit more that goes into heating your home than just the furnace. Leaky windows, thinly insulated walls, and the weather all play a factor, but what's more is your ducting can actually play a large factor.
To maximize your returns, you'll need to insulate the ducting (that you reasonably can), and have an HVAC professional help with your overall airflow. Proper air flow through your home not only evenly heat/cool the building but it will help air circulate through the system's filter and reduce the overall number of contaminants in your air. The EPA writes online that "In the last several years, a growing body of scientific evidence has indicated that the air within homes and other buildings can be more seriously polluted than the outdoor air in even the largest and most industrialized cities."
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Mold, pollen, mites, hair, and dander.[/caption]
It will also cause less strain on your system and help your unit last. So if you're looking to upgrade your home, your health, and lower your environmental impact, contact an HVAC professional and invest in a total HVAC upgrade. It pays in more ways than keeping you and your pipes from freezing!
