Archive for the 'Furnaces' Category

Install Your Goodman Furnace Properly

What makes the Goodman Furnace so popular amongst consumers and contractors is its affordable price and reliable warranty. The Goodman company strives to make their products both reliable and affordable as compared to other furnace brands and they do a good job at it. Although some people equate Goodman’s low price with low quality, that is a bad rap that lower priced products usually get. Goodman furnaces are simple which means there is less that can go wrong with them. They have a solid warrantee and it is even possible to get an extended warranty. One thing to be wary about is who installs the furnace for you. A bad installation can result in problems with your furnace. It is extremely important to get a top notch installation.
Goodman Furnace Installation Recommendations

As already stated, proper installation of a Goodman Furnace is key. An installation that cuts corners or in general is not done right will make or break any unit. Paying extra for the best installation you can get will save you headaches down the road. Ask around and determine who the best installation company is in your area. Making sure your Goodman furnace is installed well will give you the most out of the furnace.

A Goodman Gas Furnace

Goodman makes several varieties of gas furnaces for heating your home. They offer furnaces that are both variable and also multi-speed. These types of furnaces work on the system of slowly increasing the thermostat as opposed to it going on at full speed right off the bat. The benefit of this is that there is no initial cold air blow that you might experience with other types of singe speed furnaces. If you want a gas furnace that is as energy efficient as possible and consequently will save you money, you need to select your unit according to its AFUE rating.

AFUE is a way of rating how efficient a heating or cooling appliance is. Standing for Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency, the rate is represented in a percentage thus the higher the AFUE of a product, the more efficient it is.

In terms of repair or replacement of parts, the big advantage of Goodman is that their parts are easy to find and many times they are much less expensive than competitor furnace parts.

Goodman Furnace Reviews

Goodman furnaces are known for their affordable prices. People who buy inexpensive items often skimp where they should not skimp. With regards to Goodman furnaces, this means that consumers sometimes cut corners with the installation of their furnace. A poor installation can give you years of headaches with any type of furnace. Goodman furnace reviews sometimes give the impression that this is a cheap brand of furnace. However, if you read reviews from those who are experts or have a lot of experience with furnaces, it will become clear that a Goodman furnace is only as good as its installation. It is highly recommended to spend a little more money and get your furnace professionally installed by a well known and reliable company.

Payne Furnace Review

In the midst of the winter chill, having a Payne furnace will keep you nice and warm. Payne furnaces are known for providing reliable home heating.  There is a host of information available on the internet to help potential buyers of furnaces make an informed and unbiased decision about heating their homes. If you search for Payne furnace review you will find many recommendations.  Payne gives homeowners the option of financing a Payne furnace online and provides an application link for users.

One of the benefits of a Payne gas furnace is how quietly the heating system works in the house.  It is so quiet that it is virtually undetectable when the heat is on.  An additional advantage to Payne gas furnaces is how energy efficient the heating system is and this saves home owners a great deal of money each year.  The Payne furnace runs at 80% efficiency saving homeowners and renters money on their utility bills.

The Payne system does not only provide heat for homes, but also has the capability to cool houses down with additional Payne furnace parts.  If the owner purchases a central air conditioner and an evaporated coil, he or she can also enjoy cool air during the summer months.

In addition to all of these aforementioned features, the Payne furnace also comes with a warranty on each furnace purchased.  The warranty is a nice feature to have, even though the Payne gas furnaces are designed and tested to last for years.  Payne furnaces provide comfort and generate savings in the household.  Payne systems and furnace parts can be purchased online.  The Payne Company offers heat pumps, furnaces, air conditioners and parts for each package. For best results it is recommended to use Payne furnace filters with your Payne furnace.

Payne also boasts of nearly 100 years of customer service and is extremely dependable, as well as long lasting. That is why you will find so many favorable Payne furnace reviews.  Payne gas furnaces were first introduced in 1914 and have been successful ever since they first appeared on the market.  Overall, there are many benefits and advantages to having a Payne gas furnace in the house as compared to other heating systems.  Payne sells furnaces that save homeowners money in utility bills.  They offer a product that runs efficiently  as well as silently and can also provide the coolness of air conditioning in the hot summer months.  Having a Payne furnace in the home will provide reliable heat. This is because Payne has a proven track record for dependability.

An Armstrong Furnace is a Great Investment

An Armstrong furnace is one the best investments that any homeowner can make when purchasing or looking to buy a new house.  On the Armstrong website, the company offers a multitude of different types of furnaces that they feature, most of them including either at least a 2-stage gas valve and a stainless steel or aluminized heat exchanger.  The gas valves and heat exchanger are two commonly used Armstrong furnace parts.  The Armstrong gas furnaces vary in their levels of efficiency, so it is important that the consumer examine them to see which works best for them.

In addition to the gas furnace, the company also offers an Armstrong oil furnace as well.  The oil furnace, unlike gas, utilizes a ceramic combustion chamber.  The oil furnaces are only available in 80% efficiency, which is not quite as resourceful as gas furnaces.  The company also offers a wide array of air conditioners, packaged units, and air handlers.  Each one of Armstrong products come with a 10-year warranty, and for the furnaces, a heat exchanger warranty.

Along with the warranty, an Armstrong furnace manual is also included in each one of the packages.  The owner’s manual can also be found on the Armstrong website and is useful when learning more about the furnace.  The furnace manual also explains the different parts of the furnace, their functions, and how to control the furnace. The Armstrong Company also has customer service representatives available to assist in any problems that may arise with the furnace.  Armstrong is a very reliable furnace company, as many people who have prior customer satisfaction experiences can attest.

Another advantage to an Armstrong furnace is the high reviews that they have received from previous buyers.  Owners of the furnace line have had satisfaction with the product and would recommend it to other future buyers.  Armstrong also has been designing furnaces for three quarters of a century and is a name synonymous with high quality products.  Customers can feel at ease when they purchase an Armstrong oil or gas furnace, especially with the assurance of the 10-year warranty on their acquisition.  When people are looking into buying a home, one of the first decisions that should be made is to purchase an oil or gas furnace for the house.  The Armstrong name represents quality and commitment to customer service, which is why the Armstrong furnace is a great investment.

Mobile Home Furnace Facts

If you own a mobile or manufactured home then you know that certain appliances need to be bought specifically to suit your smaller and manufactured home. A mobile home furnace is no exception. Certain companies specialize in mobile home furnaces and offer both gas and electric options. Once you have reviewed this information, you will have some background when shopping for a new mobile home furnace.

The importance of a mobile home furnace should not be overlooked. That is because using the wrong type of furnace in your mobile or manufactured home can actually be dangerous. Specifically, mobile homes have smaller ductwork which is why you need a special furnace. The smaller space means that air does not flow as freely as in larger homes so the mobile home furnace needs to be built for that reality. The fan in the furnace helps push the hot air through the smaller area. The primary difference between a regular furnace and a mobile home furnace is not only in the ducting and venting but also in installation. Purchasing your furnace from the right company will ensure that your furnace meets all these specifications.

There are two brands of mobile home furnaces that are reliable and sought after by consumers. Coleman is a company well known for quality and reliability. They make several types of mobile home furnaces. A Coleman mobile home furnace uses a venting design referred to as sealed combustion. This design safely pulls in the combustion air from outdoors which has the effect of minimizing noise and also cold drafts. Miller is a company that makes furnaces and air conditioners specifically for manufactured homes. With this in mind, you can be rest assured that a Miller mobile home furnace will be built appropriately for use in your mobile home. Both of these brands makes different types of furnaces for mobile homes.

There are two main types of furnaces for mobile homes. A mobile home electric furnace can cost up to 30% less than their gas counterparts. However, gas furnaces are generally cheaper to operate. The Coleman series offers electric furnaces that can be used for air conditioning as well if used with a heat pump. A mobile home gas furnace can also be used for air conditioning. In the Coleman series you need to add an evaporator cooling coil and an outside air conditioner condenser in order to use it for cooling.

Now that you know the importance of using a specialized furnace in your mobile home, you will undoubtedly want to seek out the most reliable brands available. Studying the cost of electricity versus gas in your area will be additionally helpful in making the decision to buy an electric mobile home furnace versus a gas one.

Furnace Parts – What a Home Owner Needs to Know

The winter has a tendency of sneaking up on us after the long hot summer so it is important not to leave things to the last minute and to make sure your furnace is in tip-top condition. As the years go buy your furnace goes through a lot of abuse to keep your house warm and cozy on those chilly nights and it is not uncommon to have certain furnace parts break down from time to time. Before you find yourself stuck with no heat in the middle of a snow storm it is best to check your furnace before the cold season starts for any parts that may need replacing.

Different types of furnace parts

Even though there are a few different types of furnaces out there the parts are relatively the same for all of them. The only thing that changes between furnaces for the most part is the heating source. There are electric furnaces, gas furnaces, oil furnaces, and solid fuel furnaces but all of them use the same mechanism of burning the fuel with a burner and spreading the heat across the house.

Where to start when checking if furnace parts require replacing

When checking if your furnace needs any parts replaced you should always look at the igniter first. Igniters get the most wear and tear because they are the part that is used when turning the heat on and off. The more you shut the furnace down and restart it the more your igniter is going to get worn out. Your igniter is generally the first furnace part, especially oil furnace parts, to need replacement. You can use the condition of the igniter to gauge the rest of the parts in your furnace.

Reliable companies that sell furnace parts

If you are looking for a few good replacement furnace part recommendations you should consider all of these fine brands: Carrier furnace parts, Goodman furnace parts, and Trane furnace parts are all durable and long lasting parts. Whether you need to replace your blower, your heat exchanger, the filter, or the igniter you will not go wrong by choosing furnace parts from one of those manufacturers.

If you are not confident in your knowledge of how a furnace works it may be better to consult an expert technician rather than attempting a furnace part replacement yourself. Furthermore, changing parts incorrectly can actually cause more harm and more expensive repairs in the long run. If you want to find a furnace repair service in your area, the easiest way to do so is to search on the Internet for your city name + “furnace repair”. For example, Chicago furnace repair, Los Angeles furnace repair or Atlanta furnace repair. Furnaces are dangerous because they create fire and heat. Always use caution when handling furnace parts to prevent harm or injury.

The Truth About Gas Furnace Prices

Keeping the house warm in colder weather is an essential part of home comfort. Usually this comfort is accomplished with a furnace. While there are many types of furnaces in houses today, the use of a gas furnace is still a popular and well proven method for home heat solutions. Gas furnace prices vary greatly depending on factors such as efficiency, brand names, ease or difficulty of installation, size, and location. Higher efficiency furnaces have a significantly higher amount of higher technology used to help save you in the price of gas, and how well the heat produced by the furnace can be used to heat the house.

Gas furnace pricing also vary greatly depending on demand, as well as the supply of parts. Gas furnace pricing is easy to figure out with the right tools. Any furnace supplier will have multiple models you can compare against. Typically they are lined up side by side in a row, usually by brand name, with a price and an efficiency rating. Typically they also have an average cost of use posted on the furnace so you can get a feel as to what the cost of gas usage will be when you purchase it. To further save money on its usage, a professional installer can find the most viable way to efficiently get the heated air from the furnace to your desired location with as little cooling as possible. Simple tactics like wrapping the ductwork in insulation can make a huge difference in efficiency.

Most homes have the option for natural gas. Natural gas furnace prices will vary according to each area based on the availability of natural gas. Some parts will have to import gas, which raises the pricing a little higher than somewhere that has a huge supply readily available. Some big cities can have the gas line run from the supplier all the way into your house, while others put a tank in your yard to hold the gas, and refill as needed. Always check with your supplier on local feasibility on using these types, as some counties will use propane instead of natural gas. If you use propane you may need a special propane heater.

The differences in gas could have an effect on which style furnace or heater you should purchase. One supplier of a furnace that can run on either of these styles is the Trane furnace company. Trane gas furnace prices are competitive, and their lines of products are state of the art, high efficiency, and impeccable quality. The need to service, maintain, and repair are minimal. Other brands on the market can include popular and more expensive names such as Kenmore and Bosche, as well as a torrent of others household names. While the initial price of the furnace is important, it is equally important to make sure that your house and especially your windows are all properly insulated so that cold air doesn’t come in and make your furnace work harder and thereby increase your gas bills. Most windows are easy to glaze or repair. If you have sash windows, a repairman can easily fix the gaps or repair the glazing.

While the final decision should rely on giving you what you need for the most effective price, you should factor in more than just the cost of the heater into the overall decision. How much will it cost to actually use the heater, the installation, maintenance, repair, replacement of wear and tear parts, and ease of use? Before purchasing, take everything about its use when looking at gas furnace pricing. A cheap furnace now could cost you a lot more in the long run.

The Advantages of An Outdoor Wood Furnace

There are several advantages to owning an outdoor wood furnace. First and foremost is the savings in utility bills over using gas or oil. By using wood, a natural resource, you will save a substantial amount of money each year heating your home. As an example, people who replace their propane based furnace with wood can expect to save up to 75% since propane costs four times as much as wood. Certainly, if you have your own source of wood than the savings will be even greater.

Outdoor wood furnaces are better for the environment which is an important consideration. In addition, by using wood you are lowering your dependency on foreign fuel. Burning wood is environmentally friendly. Burning other types of fuel is not. Wood is a renewable resource so burning it does not release carbon dioxide into the air in the same way that fossil fuels do when burned. The release of carbon dioxide is widely believed to be the cause of the greenhouse effect that is an element in global warming. In addition, outdoor furnaces are not just for heating your home. They can be used to heat hot tubs, pools, garages as well as other outdoor buildings.

When shopping for an outdoor wood burning furnace there are certain features that you want to look for. While all wood furnaces will provide heat, some will be more efficient and some less based on the way they are built. In addition, outdoor wood burning furnaces need to be built for the outdoors in order to withstand the harsh elements and continue to heat your home in the most efficient manner possible.

The best outdoor wood furnace will have several important features but first and foremost it will meet all industry standards and will be approved by the requisite government agencies depending on where you live. Important features to look out for include:

  • Parts made from high quality stainless steel
  • Automatic but simple controls
  • A thick firebox door that will maintain heat and not let it escape
  • Safety latch on door to prevent children from access and also blowback risk
  • Insulation from thick, quality fiberglass
  • Legs to keep out rodents and other bugs
  • Controls that are in the front of the furnace for easy access
  • A large door for ease of  loading the wood

Wood Burning Furnace Types

If you are trying to cut energy costs or are concerned about the type of energy you use in your furnace to heat your home and its effect on the environment then a wood burning furnace may be for you. Wood burning furnaces will save you a considerable amount of money in energy bills however, you need to keep in mind that it does require stocking up on the proper type of wood or coal which requires more work than using fuels like gas or oil that are supplied by your utility company.

For best results with your wood furnace, it is best to use seasoned hardwood or coal for burning. Seasoned hardwood is wood that has been split for use as firewood. Seasoned means it was split last season and not this season. In short, if you want clean burning and wood that burns as hot as possible then you need last year’s wood and not this year’s firewood.

Indoor Wood Burning Furnace

There are two main types of wood burning furnaces these include the indoor wood burning furnace and the outdoor wood burning furnace. An indoor wood furnace works in the same way as furnaces that use other energy sources like oil or gas. They are most frequently installed in an out of the way area such as the basement. Many people are concerned with air quality from a wood burning furnace. A quality furnace will use furnace filters just as any other type of furnace does which will ensure air quality in your home as long as the filter is cleaned or replaced regularly. Thermostats in the wood furnace control heat distribution. These types of furnaces generally use forced air as their system for heating and this type of system uses any standard type of heating ducts.

Outdoor Wood Burning Furnace

People who live in mobile homes or in a home without a basement may think that they will not be able to utilize a wood burning furnace for lack of a place to house it. Outdoor wood burning furnaces solve this problem. This type of furnace takes your space (or lack thereof), safety and also your convenience into account. By using your outside space, you can easily install your furnace and also store your firewood. You need to make sure that the unit you purchase is built to weather the elements. An improperly insulated or weatherproofed furnace will both rust or otherwise get damaged and also run much less efficiently.

Add On Wood Burning Furnace

If you want to cut your energy bills but don’t want to completely re-do your furnace set up then you should consider an add on wood burning furnace. The unit itself may be cheaper but where you save most of your money is in the fact that it uses the duct work that you already have installed without the need for installing a new system.

An add on wood furnace uses your current furnace’s infrastructure to heat your home with wood heated air instead of the gas or oil that your primary furnace ordinarily uses. You connect your add-on to your existing furnace. As long as it keeps the temperature above what is set on your thermostat of your original furnace then no gas, oil or electricity will be consumed. The only non-wood type of energy that will be used is what is required to operate the blower that distributes the hot air to your home. What is nice about this system is that if you run low on firewood or the wood does not produce enough heat, your original furnace will kick in and heat your home instead.

Choosing a Gas Furnace

If your gas furnace is old, you need to replace it with a new, high efficiency gas furnace which will save you a lot of money in heating bills while keeping you warm on cold days.

Old gas furnaces are not very efficient and you are paying for it every month in your heating bills. New gas furnaces produce more heat for less energy, making them highly efficient and end up paying for themselves over time through savings on your heating costs. While the cost of everything seems to be rising, better technology can save you money on your heating bill, so you can stay warm for less.

Gas furnace prices can initially scare people away, but this in an investment in your home and it will be used for a long time. If you think of the gas furnace price as an investment and think of lower heating bills, the cost won’t seem so bad. Gas furnace prices vary depending on their size, brand, and the AFUE rating.

AFUE means Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency and the higher the AFUE rating, the more efficient the gas furnace is. A high efficiency gas furnace will have an AFUE in the upper 80’s and in the 90’s. All new gas furnaces will have a sticker on it which estimates the annual usage cost as well as the AFUE. Pay attention to these numbers. The higher the AFUE, the better.

A highly efficient gas furnace will cost more than a gas furnace which isn’t as efficient, but they make up for it in energy savings and heating costs, saving you up to 30% in your heating bills which will add up to big savings.

The benefits of having a natural gas furnace are that it heats your water fast and if you’re environment conscious, it doesn’t cause pollution. Natural gas heats your home using clean energy.

The most popular brands are Trane, Rheem, Bryant, as well as others. To find the right gas furnace for you, pick the right size furnace for your home, check reviews, the manufacturer warranty as well as efficiency compared to cost.

All gas furnaces will need routine maintenance to perform at their best like any piece of equipment. Be sure to change the air filter regularly to prevent them from becoming clogged and not performing well. The gas furnace will also need to be checked periodically for cracks and leaks. Routine maintenance can prevent future problems, damage, and repair costs.

What You Should Know About a Wood Furnace

A wood furnace is an inexpensive way to keep warm and it doesn’t emit any carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Since wood is a renewable energy source, it’s good for the environment since it is not using fossil fuels. Wood furnaces have been used in cold climates for a long time to provide heat for the very cold and long winters. A wood furnace is for someone who lives in a cold climate where there is plenty of firewood available.

An outdoor wood furnace is located in a building outside of the home to keep the smoke mess away from the home. The wood produces heat which is transferred through insulted pipes underground into the home. Outdoor wood furnaces can also heat other buildings and areas such as greenhouses, pools, and spas. The benefits of the outdoor wood furnace are that you will not be bothered with smoke or ashes while still keeping warm all winter.

In the old days, the only choice was to burn wood in a fireplace. It didn’t warm the entire house, but only the room where the fireplace was located. Now, the entire house can be kept warm in the chilling winter with an outdoor wood furnace, which is much more convenient. The entire house gets heat distributed throughout it and nobody has to breathe the smoke that can come from firewood. The heat is controlled with a thermostat so you can heat the home as warm as you like. This method of heating is much cheaper than electric heating.

There are other types of wood furnaces besides the outdoor variety. There is a Central Wood Furnace which is placed inside the home. It either uses forced air or hot water to keep the home warm. There is also the Multi Fuel Furnace which can either be located inside or outside the home and it can also burn other types of fuel besides wood such as gas or oil.

If you choose an indoor furnace, you can decide between one that burns only wood or one that burns wood as well as wood and gas or wood and oil.

As with everything the price depends on what type of furnace you want, the manufacturer, and more. The price of a wood burning furnace can average from $1,000-$8,000. The prices can also be lower or higher. Used furnaces will be cheaper while the top notch ones to keep large homes toasty warm will be at the high end.

While a wood burning furnace is cheaper than other heating alternatives, it does require work and tends to be messier. You will have to keep a supply of firewood and also stack it and replenish the furnace with wood when needed. Obviously it also produces smoke and ash, which other heating alternatives such as gas or electricity do not do. You need to make sure to use the right type of furnace filters for a wood furnace. If you don’t mind this extra work, then you will benefit greatly from the monetary savings, environment friendly benefits, and the reliability of a wood furnace.

The Benefits of a Portable Furnace

There are many benefits to owning a portable furnace. The most obvious benefit, being in its name, portable. Since it’s easy to move, you can relocate a portable furnace anywhere. There’s no heavy equipment or difficult installation with furnaces that are portable.

You also don’t have to worry about maintenance. Other heating sources require regular maintenance to prevent damage and costly repairs. Without regular maintenance, other heating equipment can perform less efficiently or even break and need to be repaired by a technician. With a portable furnace, you don’t have to worry about maintenance or costly repairs which can be a very big headache. There are no furnace filters to change every month.

Another reason people choose portable furnaces is to save money. They use little electricity while heating your home. Portable furnaces offer a savings of up to 40% from traditional heating. There is no giant investment, you have lower heating bills, and if you move, you can pack up your portable furnace to take with you.

Portable furnaces are also very quiet and don’t emit any fumes. When you breathe, you are not breathing anything dangerous from the furnace while it’s heating your home. Some people worry about dangerous fumes or gases being potentially leaked when using a fuel such as gas.

The original portable furnace is by Arbaco. The Arbaco portable furnace uses infrared lamps to produce heat, distributes it throughout the room, is very quiet, and uses little electricity. There are no flames or fumes to worry about.

The Arbaco C1500 is 1500 watts and heats up to 800 square feet. It’s safe to touch and comes with a 3 year warranty and will cost around $500, depending on where you purchase it.

Portable furnaces are even good enough in Canada to keep the rooms warm and comfortable in the very cold winters there. Keep in mind how many square feet each portable furnace can heat and get a separate furnace for each room, so every room can stay warm and comfortable, even in the severe Canadian winters. One portable furnace will not heat an entire house, so if you are going to use portable furnaces, get enough to heat your whole house.

The furnaces are small enough that one can fit in each room and they are barely audible. If you have another heating source, you can keep that one set at a low temperature to save money on your heating bill and get a portable furnace to provide the extra heat to stay nice and warm, using a cheap and clean heating source.

To find the right furnace for you, look for portable furnace reviews. Satisfied and non satisfied customers give their feedback on the internet. With so many people using the internet for information, there will be plenty of reviews and information online so you can choose the right portable furnace for you.

Getting the Most Out of Your Oil Furnace

If you have an oil furnace you know it needs to be maintained regularly for best performance. Most maintenance on oil furnaces should be done by professionals, but anyone can learn how to do basic maintenance.

To get the most out of your money and to stay warm, you need a high efficiency oil furnace. If your furnace is old, you should definitely think about replacing it. An old furnace is costing you more money in heating costs while producing less heat. A new oil furnace can produce more heat for less money. It’s the same with all major appliances. Heating and cooling takes up the largest percentage of energy bills, so cutting down on heating costs is the best way to save money on your energy bills.

It may cost you a few thousand dollars to get a new oil furnace, but the price is worth it. You’re improving your home and you’ll notice lower heating bills. With time, the new furnace will pay for itself.

If you’re going to buy a new oil furnace, look for one with a high AFUE (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency) percentage. The higher the AFUE, the more energy efficient it is. Today, more people are concerned with costs as the cost of everything seems to skyrocket. People are also concerned about the environment. Going green is not only good for the environment, it has also become very popular as the green movement takes momentum. An AFUE over 90% is excellent and means it’s highly efficient. You want the highest AFUE you can get.

Oil furnace prices will probably cost around $1,000-$3,000 depending on the kind you get and the AFUE percentage. If you need oil furnace parts for repair or maintenance you can go to your local hardware store or find any part you need online and have it shipped to your door.

With the cost of oil going up like everything else, more and more people are interested in the waste oil furnace, which burns waste oil which both saves the user a lot of money as well as helps the environment by recycling waste oil such as old cooking oil or motor oil.

Some people get old oil from restaurants for free and use that to heat their home. The savings from a waste oil furnace or boiler is amazing. Even though the price may seem prohibitive, you will recoup the cost. Large homes running on waste oil can save up to thousands of dollars a year. Homes in colder climates save the most money on their heating bills.