We live in a culture where the latest and greatest gadgets always get bigger and better. Every year smartphone companies tell buyers that their phone is outdated while praising screens with larger displays. When it comes to heating for your home or business bigger isn’t always better. As we have said in previous articles, even the best-kept furnace has a lifespan and there is little we can do to prevent the inevitable. A furnace is considered beyond repair when one or both of these things happen. The first is that due to the age of the unit, even major repairs cannot be guaranteed for long periods of time. The second is when repairs are so vast that it actually costs less to replace the old unit with a new, energy-efficient model. Many people tend to believe that since they have to make a replacement anyway, they might as well go for the best. They begin researching with the false assumption that a large furnace will heat their homes easier and quicker.
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The right furnace for you depends on the size of your home, heating needs and ductwork.
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Unless your home or business had an undersized furnace installed you will not notice a difference in how well your home gets heated. It is not like putting a larger engine in a car. Another HVAC myth is that setting your thermostat higher than you actually want will get your home to the desired temperature faster. The reality of the situation is the setting your heater to 90 degrees does not mean that the furnace is working harder and will actually hit your actual desired temperature of, let’s say 76 degrees any faster.
Just like this common hypothetical of cranking the heat, installing an oversized furnace won’t provide the desired benefits. More likely than anything else is that a furnace that is too large is going to do more harm than good. Perhaps you have noticed that some rooms in your home heat quickly, and reach temperatures too high to be comfortable. While other rooms never seem to get quite warm enough. This is a common heating problem, and a large furnace will make these problems even worse.
Large furnaces are not efficient for homes
It may sound strange but a large furnace will not be as efficient as a furnace that is perfectly sized for your home. This is because heating units go through a warmup phase before they reach their energy-efficient operational stage. A furnace that is too large will likely shutoff before it has been running for a long enough time. This will result in it in starting and stop more than a properly sized heating unit. In this situation, the homeowner is paying a larger electric bill, while putting unnecessary wear and tear on their furnace.
Avoid short cycling by using a trusted HVAC company
Short cycling is hard on your furnace. It is similar to starting and shutting off your vehicle handfuls of times a day. The heating unit is being shut-off before it can really get into a grove. At the very least this frequent starting and stopping will require the unit’s heat exchanger. If this happens the furnace is likely to overheat and can cause damage to important internal components. For all of these reasons and more, you should call a Salt Lake City furnace inspection company to come to your home. Utah HVAC is a team of experts that are happy to perform inspections and tune-ups. If our contractors notice something wrong they will inform you of the problem and explain viable solutions. Contact us today at (801) 930-0629 to speak with a professional and schedule an appointment.
