Good, Better, Best Furnace to Buy
A home is for many people, the largest purchase they will make in their lifetime. When it is time to replace a home’s major system such as the heating system, finding your best options and choosing the best solution can have a big effect on your largest financial investment.
Midwest Comfort Heating & Cooling believes in showing its customers the best solutions available for their home when it is time for a new furnace installation. Midwest Comfort will present the three best options and rank them according to “good, better and best”. All three options will be for high quality, energy efficient furnaces. The key difference between the options comes down to fuel efficiency.
Gas forced air furnaces come in efficiency ratings of between 80 percent and 96+ percent. A 96 percent efficient furnace will convert 96 percent of the fuel it burns into usable heat for the home. The remaining 4 percent is vented to the outdoors in the form of water vapor and exhaust gas. The other differences in the options also help make the furnace as efficient as possible. These include variable speed motors and two stage heating. Variable speed motors will change speeds automatically based on the amount of air that is needed to be moved through the ductwork system. Two stage heating means when there is an initial call for heat, the burners will ignite at a lower level to heat the home. After a predetermined amount of time, if the set temperature has not been reached, a second stage will kick in and the burners will burn at a higher level to provide more heat to the home.
Giving the Good, Better and Best options, will show all the options available and help in making an informed decision on your furnace installation.
There are other comfort-related decisions to make as well. If comfort is your main concern, consider these comfort products: humidifiers, air cleaners and smart thermostats.
Why you need to get a Furnace Tune-Up
Are you tired of paying high utility bills? Is your furnace not keeping up when the cold winter weather hits? Has it been a few years since your furnace has had a maintenance tune-up? Your furnace is probably in need of a tune-up from Midwest Comfort Heating & Cooling. This is an affordable yearly service that has many benefits for your gas furnace and your wallet.
- Save Money and Energy: A clean furnace operates more efficiently and uses far less energy than one that has not been properly maintained. Having Midwest Comfort clean your furnace each and every year will help you lower those high utility bills.
- Increase Comfort: An annual maintenance tune-up will allow your furnace to run as efficiently as possible. Providing you heat when you need it most. Consistent even heat will make your home much more comfortable even when the extreme cold weather sets in.
- Prevent Breakdowns: Many furnace emergency repairs can be prevented with a regular maintenance tune-up. Avoid the hassle and potentially costly repairs and have Midwest Comfort Heating & Cooling clean your furnace yearly.
- Increase Lifespan: A well maintained furnace will not only work more efficiently, it will also help the furnace last for years to come. Call Midwest Comfort Heating & Cooling to schedule your maintenance tune-up and extend the life of your furnace!
- Clean furnace or boiler
- Check chimney base
- Clean and check pilots
- Adjust pilot
- Check Thermocouple
- Clean burners
- Adjust burners
- Check fan belts
- Check amperage draw
- Check furnace filters
- Check safety devices
- Check heat anticipators
- Check thermostat contacts
- Check limit control
- Inspect combustion chamber
- Check blower wheel
- Check blower motor and lube
- Check furnace wiring
- Check for combustion air
- Check hot water tank
- Check gas valve operation
- Test for gas leaks
- Check humidifier
- Check electrical connections
- Inspect heat exchanger for leaks
- Check motors and oil if necessary
- Check any/all accessories
- Check and secure all panels
- Check thermostat and calibrate if necessary
- Make final operation test
Furnace Warranty and Maintenance Tune-up
Regardless of make and model, nearly all furnace and air conditioner manufacturers require that their systems be maintained yearly in order to keep the manufacturer warranty in effect. Maintenance is necessary on all mechanical equipment to keep it working at its best. This is why manufactures include a maintenance requirement within their warranties, and failing to have annual maintenance can result in the warranty being voided.
Annual maintenance can more than pay for itself when compared to the cost of an emergency furnace repair. A small investment in a tune-up with Midwest Comfort will protect your warranty and your wallet. We expertly service all makes and models, so call Midwest Comfort Heating & Cooling to schedule your furnace tune-up now!
We Are Here To Serve You
Throughout Chicago’s Northwest Suburbs furnace heating emergencies can happen at the most inconvenient times. At Midwest Comfort, we understand emergency situations need to be addressed as quickly as possible.
Here are just a few reasons why customers choose Midwest Comfort for furnace repairs:
- 24 Hour Service: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and 365 days a year, furnace repairs don’t always happen during normal business hours.
- We Service Your Area: Located in Mt Prospect, Midwest Comfort Heating & Cooling services the northwest suburbs of Chicago. From Buffalo Grove to Park Ridge, from South Barrington to Bloomingdale to right here in Mt Prospect, Des Plaines and Arlington Heights. Midwest Comfort is here to get your furnace and heating system back up and running quickly.
- Affordable Repairs: After diagnosing the furnace, your technician will verify the repairs and cost before he performs the work. There are never any surprises at the end of the service!
- All Makes and Models: Midwest can repair any furnace regardless of make and model!
- Superior Service: With our accreditation and A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau, you can trust that your furnace is in good hands with Midwest Comfort Heating & Cooling.
Good – Single Stage Heat
This type of furnace is what most people are familiar with. The furnace blower motor has one speed. It is either running at 100 percent or it is off. When there is a call for heat, the burners will ignite at 100 percent and then they shut off within a couple of degrees to where the thermostat is set. So you can tell when it’s coming on, because you can hear it rev-up and then the warm air starts blowing through the vents. Once it hits the proper temp, it shuts down and then the cycle starts all over again. This provides basic heating needs and meets basic comfort levels.
Better – Variable Speed Motor
Furnaces equipped with a variable speed motor blower motor can help save money over the long term. This is due to the blower motors ability to change the speed at which it operates. A single speed blower motor can only operate at one full power speed. It will either be on or off. A variable speed motor can change speeds and adjust itself to the amount of air that needs to be moved. This allows fan to be left in the on position. The blower motor will run at a slower speed to continuously circulate air through the homes duct work system. This will help keep the different rooms and floors of the home at a more even temperature. When there is a call for heat, the blower motor speed will ramp up to efficiently move the warmed air throughout the home.
Best – Two Stage, Variable Speed Furnace
This is the best option in terms of comfort for your home. The variable speed blower motor will adjust the speed at which the fan is moving air. It will run at a lower speed to evenly circulate air throughout the home. When there is a call for heat it will ramp up the speed to better circulate the warmed air. Two stages of heating contributes to the overall efficiency of the furnace. When there is a call for heat, the burners will ignite at a lower level to heat the home. After a predetermined amount of time if the set temperature has not been reached, the burners will kick into a second stage and produce more heat. The two stages helps the efficiency by allowing the burners to only produce the amount of heat that is needed. The burners are not firing at 100 percent if the house only needs to be warmed a few degrees.
There are many options and features that need to be considered when it is time for a new furnace installation. Midwest Comfort Heating & Cooling is here to help you navigate the process. Let our years of experience make your new furnace installation smooth and help you achieve the highest level of comfort for your home.