Size - This refers to its heating capacity not is physical dimensions. The capacity of a heating system is measured in BTU’s (British Thermal Units) per hour. The BTU input of your new furnace is measured to the BTU Heat Loss of your home. In general a unit that is too small will lack the capacity to heat your home. A unit that is too big will short cycle and never deliver the comfort you want.
Many buy an air conditioner that is too large, thinking it will provide better cooling. However, an oversized air conditioner is actually less effective — and wastes energy. Air conditioners remove both heat and humidity from the air in your home. If the unit is too large, it will cool the room quickly, but only remove some of the humidity in the room. This leaves the room with a damp feeling. A properly sized unit will remove humidity effectively as it cools.

Efficiency - The efficiency of a gas furnace is indicated by its annual fuel utilization efficiency or AFUE rating. An 80% AFUE (today’s minimum required efficiency) means that a furnace utilizes 80% of the BTU (or BTUH) in the gas to heat your home and the remaining 20% goes up your chimney. A 95% AFUE means that a furnace utilizes 95% of the BTU (or BTUH) in the gas to heat your home and the remaining 5% vents out your chimney. The more efficient the furnace the lower the heating bill and this means less gas WASTED.

Even if your air conditioner is only 10 years old, you may save 20%–40% of your cooling energy costs by replacing it with a newer, more efficient Air Conditioner. When buying an air conditioner, look for a model with a high SEER Rating. Central air conditioners are rated according to their seasonal energy efficiency ratio (SEER). SEER indicates the relative amount of energy needed to provide a specific cooling output. Many older systems have SEER ratings of 6 or less. The minimum SEER allowed today is 13. Look for the ENERGY STAR® label for central air conditioners with SEER ratings of 13 or greater, but consider using air conditioning equipment with higher SEER ratings for greater savings. Trane offers a SEER of 13 to 20.

Venting - A Residential Heating and AC comfort specialist will look at your current venting system and tell you if any changes are needed to accommodate your new furnace. This will include installing a proper "combustion air" or "fresh air intake."

Cost - In general the high efficiency products cost more to install. A high efficiency gas unit will pay for itself over time because of the annual utility savings, rebates and tax credits. Other factors that effect cost are how difficult the removal of the old system will be. How difficult retrofitting a new system will be. As well as bringing the current ductwork up to current Mechanical Code.

Contractor - Which is perhaps the most important Step in replacing and upgrading your current system! Choosing the right contractor to install the furnace can make the difference. You can install the best made furnace incorrectly, undersize it, or not install it to code and it will never deliver proper performance and efficiency. These items can cause parts to break down and require multiple repairs on your new system and cost you time, energy and money. Our technicians are fully trained and take pride in the work they do. We are a family business that will treat you like your part of our family.

Warranty - Every install has a 100% Satisfaction Warranty. Most furnace and AC's come with a basic manufacturer warranty. The warranty is divided into two categories: PARTS & LABOR. The Length of time for the coverage of each depends on the system that you purchase and the contractor you choose. Our comfort specialist will design a warranty based on your needs and wants.

Call Colonial Heating and Cooling for a Comfort Specialist to give you a no fee, no hassle estimate on your new HVAC equipment! 734-455-6500