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Furnace & Heating Options for a New Home
When building a new home you have so many decisions to make, don't forget about your home heating and air conditioning system when making those decisions. There are many options with your HVAC systems, it's just a matter of what is the right option for you and your home. Here is a list of things to consider when selecting the right furnace or heating system for your home.
- What type of system will provide the best comfort
- What type of system is most efficient or cost effective
- What energy source is best for your new home
What Type of System Will Provide the Best Comfort
Unfortunately new homeowners are so overwhelmed with all the decisions of building a new home that they don't ask their general contractor what options there are for their heating and air. Although it's a major part of how comfortable you will be in your new home, it's still something tucked away in the utility room, out of site and out of mind.
Consider what type of heating and air system you are used to. If you have always had a gas furnace paired with an air conditioner you will see a noticeable difference in the heating should you have an all electric home. In Lincoln NE many homes are being built with only electric appliances. This may be a perk to someone who worries about any dangers of gas burning appliances, however truly gas appliances are very safe, especially when they are well maintained. We're not saying that all electric homes are not great, but if it is new to you, there is a difference. All electric homes utilize heat pumps to provide a bulk of the heating. They operate to be highly efficient and therefore they provide heating a bit cooler than that of a gas furnace.
If you have a two story home it may be worth considering two full systems to condition your home. Because heat rises, your top floor is most likely going to be your warmest floor all year long. Due to how traditional heating and cooling systems transfer air throughout the home it is hard to ensure every room on every floor is exactly the same temperature. Insulation and outdoor conditions largely play into this equation as well. If a home is split into two different systems, or the ductwork has a damper system to direct air where it is needed most, it is much more likely you will have more even heating and cooling in your home all year long.
What Type of System is Most Efficient or Cost Effective?
Many homes are built to be very efficient, so why shouldn't your HVAC system be the same. Gas furnaces are still very prevalent in Lincoln NE and the surrounding areas. Why? Because natural gas is a very affordable source of energy, and they provide an excellent heating source. Today's gas furnaces burn more efficiently and incorporate other cost and comfort options, such as variable fans and staging gas valves. Variable speed fans allow your air conditioner to be more efficient and provide more efficient air circulation in your home. Staging gas valves allow your furnace to reduce the amount of gas that used by the system when possible, saving you money.
Looking for all electric home? Maybe you live where natural gas is not available. With propane costs as volatile as they currently are some homeowners wish to avoid propane and the need for a propane tank. Or maybe you like the idea of having only electric appliances. When building a home there is no reason you can't ask to look at options for your HVAC system. There are different options with electric furnaces and heat pumps. Bryant is happy to provide different efficiency and comfort options.
Whether your home will have gas or only electric utilities, we feel it only makes sense to consider the efficiency of your home's HVAC system. If you are not general contracting your own home build you may never see or hear from your HVAC subcontractor and your home comfort system will decided by your builder. If you think about it, when you are building your home and the HVAC system is part of your mortgage it offers you the best rates and terms of financing you will find. Why not ask what's possible?
You may decide the extremely efficient and comfortable heating and cooling of geothermal is right for you're home. With the use of vertical geothermal wells or loops you don't have to have a large plot of land. With geothermal you'll not only save money every month on your utility bills, but your equipment can last twice as long as traditional air conditioner or heat pump. So ask for options. Any reputable heating and air conditioning contractor will provide options at no cost.
What Energy Source is Best for Your New Home?
Sometimes what energy source is best for your home comes down to your preference or what your builder has decided. There is movement in the Lincoln NE for new homes to be all electric, but natural gas is without a doubt still a very cost efficient energy source . For those in more rural areas your choices might be propane or electric only. The convenience of only having one utility bill with electric is nice, and often the cost of an electric furnace is less than a gas furnace. Keep in mind that with Lincoln's climate and the length of our heating season for cost efficiency reasons it is best to pair that electric furnace with a heat pump, not an air conditioner. If a gas furnace is selected options of an air conditioner or heat pump make sense.
If you are building a new home and looking for options or direction with your home's furnace and heating selection, give Bryant a call. We provide free estimates with equipment options with your needs in mind. Our estimators are here to explain the options available from Bryant and how each can make a difference in the comfort level in your home.