7 Questions to Ask Your Heating Contractor about High-Efficiency Systems

Oct 14, 2016

7 Questions to Ask Your Heating Contractor about High-Efficiency Systems

Heating

A heating contractor can provide high efficiency systems to your home

Any heating contractor will recommend you seek professional help in choosing a high-efficiency heating system, or else you may wind up with more stress this fall. After all, buying the wrong system can lead to a world of trouble. When heating already accounts for nearly half of your home’s energy budget, making the wrong choice in a heating system will potentially put a huge dent in your savings that will take a long time to recover from. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, more than 90% of the 116 million homes in the country in 2013 paid more on heating bills than expected, mostly due to the fact they were seriously lacking in the efficiency department. There are also safety hazards associated with installing the wrong system, including a higher risk of home heating fires. The next time you go searching for a high-efficiency system, don’t just rely on yourself; when in doubt, always call a contractor.

Calling MillTown for Top-Notch Heating Service

As beautiful as New England can be during the fall, it can also be blisteringly cold. With that in mind, make MillTown your number-one choice for heating system installation this season. We have a team of contractors dedicated to customer service. They always go the extra mile to guarantee your 100% satisfaction. They also consult with you to ensure you are getting a heating system guaranteeing your happiness this season. After all, we don’t want to see you spend money on the wrong heating system either and be forced to pay high costs on energy bills. That’s why we want to ensure you have a system meeting up with your unique heating needs so you will not have to experience a single day this season dealing with those cold New England temperatures. With just one phone call to MillTown, you will find the right balance between efficiency and effectiveness.

7 Important Questions to Ask Your Heating Contractor

There are number of heating options available for you in the market today, but it may be difficult to find a system just right for you. It is especially tasking if you are a first-time buyer and don’t want to risk throwing money down on a poor system. In that case, here are a few questions to ask your contractor before a final decision is made:

What is an AFUE Rating? The Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency rating measures how well a heating system uses fueling. You should look for systems with a higher AFUE rating to guarantee longer-lasting, energy-efficient heat in your home. Some furnaces today even have an AFUE rating of 98.5% without sacrificing quality performance.
What is its Maintenance Schedule? In addition to energy and repair costs, you also don’t want a system costing you too much on heating system maintenance. Therefore, it is important to know the maintenance schedule so you know how effort it will take on your end and from a heating contractor to ensure the system stays running. If the schedule proves too demanding, you may want to consider looking elsewhere.
What Size of System Do I Need? Any licensed contractor will know to conduct measurements before beginning any installation work. If not, it may leave you with an improperly-sized heating system that will provide more headaches than heating. This includes frequent system breakdowns and poor energy efficiency. That new large heating system on the market may look nice on paper, but show no consideration for physical space.
What are the Fueling Options? If you are considering installing a furnace, the most common fueling options are natural gas, oil, and electricity. Chose the option most aligned with your heating needs. For example, if you seek safer, longer-lasting performance, electricity may be the best choice. However, if you are looking for more efficient performance saving you a bit more on energy bills, you may want to instead consider natural gas.
What are its Safety Features? Not only should you focus on how a system will be able to keep your home warm, but also how it can look after your well-being, and lower costs on emergency furnace repair. Safety features will depend on the system, but many of them on the market today do generally feature air pressure switches, limit switches, thermocouples, and more.
What Brand Should I Choose? Some of the top heating brands in the country today include Carrier, Goodman, and Lennox. However, if you are undecided in what brand to install, please conduct Internet research for any product reviews or recalls. Also feel free to ask your heating contractor on what brands they offer or personally recommend.
What is the Right Cost? Some homeowners will settle for a cost-efficient system under the belief this will give them high-quality heating without the high price. This usually turns out to be an unwise choice, as the lower price can still result in lower quality performance. Even if you do pay $800 more for a better quality system, it can also save you up to $300 annually in energy costs. Always think long-term. A higher installation cost can still lead to greater long-term savings on energy bills.