HVAC

In this part of the country, winter temperatures often hover at or below freezing. That makes an effective and efficient furnace a must-have for homes in this area. If you’re a homeowner in Murfreesboro, TN, that means you’ll eventually confront the need for a new furnace. When that day comes, you’ll find no shortage of options available to you.
Here’s everything you should consider when choosing a new furnace for your home.

Your Furnace Options

When you begin your search for a new furnace, you should know that there are three broad furnace types to choose from. The difference between them is the fuel they use to generate heat. Here is some basic information about each.

Electric Furnace

Electric furnaces use electric resistance heating to make heat. They’re not much different from the small electric space heaters people often use in colder parts of their homes. As far as furnaces go, an electric model will generally be your cheapest option upfront.

Electric furnaces convert all of the electricity they use into heat inside your home, making them 100% efficient at the point of use. However, the system still requires a small amount of power to run the blower fan.

It’s important to understand that efficiency doesn’t always equal affordability. While an electric furnace doesn’t waste energy, electricity in Tennessee typically costs more per unit of heat than natural gas. This makes electric furnaces more expensive to run in the long term, despite their simple design and longer lifespan of 20 years or more.

Oil-Fired Furnace

Oil-fired furnaces use home heating oil as their fuel source. They represent a step up in upfront cost compared to electric furnaces. Typically, oil-fired furnaces operate between 80% and 90% efficiency, depending on the model.

Although that’s a bit lower than an electric furnace’s rating, heating oil often costs less per BTU than electricity. That can make oil furnaces cheaper to operate than electric models in some cases — though prices fluctuate significantly. When oil prices rise, operating costs can quickly erase the savings.

It’s worth noting, however, that oil furnaces are rare in Tennessee. They’re far more common in the Northeast, while most local homeowners opt for natural gas or electric systems instead. Oil may still be an option if your home doesn’t have access to gas service, but many in that situation now consider high-efficiency electric heat pumps instead.

Another factor to consider is maintenance. Because oil doesn’t burn as cleanly as natural gas, oil-fired furnaces need more frequent service to keep burners and filters clean. On the plus side, they are mechanically simple and can last 15 years or longer with proper care.

Natural Gas Furnace

Natural gas furnaces are, by far, the most popular type of heating system in the U.S. and the most common choice for Tennessee homes. Gas furnaces combine relatively low upfront costs with some of the lowest operating costs around.

Efficiencies range from about 81% to 98.5%, depending on the model. Because natural gas is widely available in Murfreesboro and generally less expensive than electricity or oil, gas furnaces are often the most economical heating choice. With proper maintenance, most last 15 to 20 years.

Choosing a Furnace Type

Your first decision is which of the three furnace types to choose. For most people, the choice comes down to fuel availability and upfront cost.

If upfront cost is your main concern, an electric furnace is hard to beat. However, be prepared for higher energy bills year after year.

If your home already has a natural gas connection, a gas furnace is often the best long-term choice. While the initial cost may be a bit higher than electric, the low operating costs and wide availability of natural gas in Tennessee make it an attractive option.

If your home lacks a natural gas connection, adding one can be expensive depending on your property’s location. In those cases, some homeowners consider oil-fired furnaces, but in Tennessee, a heat pump is often the better alternative. While the storage tank installation for oil is typically less costly than gas line work, the volatility of oil prices means your heating bills could rise and fall significantly.

A Word On Energy Efficiency

If you decide on an oil-fired or natural gas furnace, you still have another decision to make. You must choose how much operating efficiency you’re willing to pay for. If you’ve opted for an oil-fired furnace, you should select the most efficient model you can afford. That’s one way to insulate yourself somewhat from the higher costs of home heating oil.

If you opt for a natural gas furnace, you won’t need to be as careful about efficiency. Even a minimally efficient natural gas furnace has relatively low operating costs. However, as you weigh your system selection, there are a few more things to know. Today’s gas furnaces feature efficiencies that fall into three categories.

  • Standard efficiency models are between 81% and 85% efficient.
  • Midrange models boast efficiencies between 90% and 93%.
  • High-efficiency models are between 94% and 98.5%.

You may have noticed a big gap between the standard and midrange system efficiencies. That’s not a typo. It’s because the kinds of added features necessary to achieve efficiencies higher than 85% naturally tend to push midrange models to at least 90% efficiency. Those technologies include sealed combustion chambers, secondary heat exchangers, and multi-stage operation. As you might imagine, adding those things significantly increases upfront cost.

Ongoing Maintenance Considerations

Finally, you should know the types of maintenance your furnace options require.

  • Electric furnaces: The easiest to maintain. With no exhaust system and few moving parts, they typically need only annual cleaning, inspection, and testing.
  • Natural gas furnaces: Require yearly service that includes cleaning burners and inspecting gas lines. Gas burns relatively clean, so upkeep is moderate compared to oil.
  • Oil furnaces: Require the most maintenance, as soot buildup can reduce efficiency quickly. Annual service includes cleaning the burner and replacing filters.

Your Local Furnace Experts

No matter what kind of furnace you settle on, A/C Plus Heating & Cooling is the place to turn for your installation needs in Murfreesboro. We’re a locally owned and operated company that’s served this area since 1997.

Every member of our team of HVAC technicians possesses NATE certification and has undergone drug testing and a background check. We can offer you financing options on approved credit to help you afford the furnace you need. We also offer furnace repairs and maintenance services.

So, when you’re ready for a furnace installation in Murfreesboro, contact A/C Plus Heating & Cooling right away!

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