It's that time of year. Temperatures are dropping and you crank up the heat only to find that it's not working. Your furnace is old and inefficient. And the last time that it ran, it was noisy. You decide that it is time to replace your furnace. So now what?
First of all, you need to find a HVAC contractor that is licensed, bonded and insured. Using a non-licensed individual to assess your hvac needs and to replace your existing furnace is a recipe for disaster. You really do not want a person who is non-licensed and without insurance/bonds installing a gas appliance in your home. A good place to start looking for a licensed professional to replace your furnace is your friends and family. If any of your friends and family have had a furnace replacement recently, they may be able to recommend a contractor for you. If you have no luck with your friends and family, then you can also get referrals from the "BBB" and "Angie's List." The "Better Business Bureau" and "Angie's List" can also grade the contractors for you. Other factors to consider would be "how long has the contractor been in business?", and "does the contractor use sub-contractors or his/her own employees?" There is no guarantee that a contractor who has been in business for 20+ years that uses his/her own employees will do a better job for you, but the chances are better that that will be the case. Also, is the contractor a small family run operation? If so, the installers (if part of the family) will have a vested interest in doing a quality job. One last criteria which is also important is the brand of equipment that the contractor uses. Most contractors that have high grades on referal services such as the "Better Business Bureau" and "Angie's List" usually use quality equipment as well. But, it helps to ask which brand that they prefer to use and then check out the brand using a consumer product grading service such as "Consumer Reports."
Now that you have found a quality contractor, it is time to have them come to your home to assess your HVAC needs and recommend the right furnace replacement for your home. Sometimes, just replacing your furnace with a similiar model is all you need. But, you should discuss all of your HVAC concerns with your contractor. He/she may be able to help with more than just the replacement of your furnace and/or ac. You may want to consider a 2-stage furnace with a variable speed fan motor for increased comfort and efficiency. You may also want to install a humidifer to help with low humidity levels during the winter months. You may want to install a high efficiency air cleaner to help remove dirt and allergens from the air and to help keep your new system clean through it's lifetime. You may want to install an insulated return drop to cut down on fan motor noise. You may need to modify your existing duct system as well to improve air flow through out your home. These are things to address when you are replacing your furnace and/or ac.
In summary, find a HVAC contractor that grades out well from your referral source. Use friends, family, BBB, and Angie's List as referrals. A contractor that has been in business for only a short time may do great work, but length of time in business is worth considering. Also, a small family business with a member of the family doing the work is more likely to give you a tight high quality installation over a sub-contractor for a large business. And remember, in addition to just replacing your furnace, you may want to address efficiency, air quality, humidity control, and noise issues as well.
I hope this information helps you with your furnace replacement process.
Thanks for your time.
Sincerely,
Jim Harless
Minutemen Heating & Cooling, Inc.
614-837-5062
