These days, home owners search for all the value they can find in every household purchase they make. You’re probably no different. So when the time comes to replace a furnace in an existing central heating system, or to install a totally new system, you want equipment that minimizes costs and delivers dependable office comfort for your family – season after season. Here’s a look at some things to consider.
- What do good furnaces have in common?
- Which furnaces are energy efficient?
- Are some furnaces better than others?
- What should I look for in a dealer?
What do Good Furnaces Have in Common?
The best furnaces are efficient. They keep a home warm and comfortable. They provide steady, dependable performance year after year. And they are quiet, long-lasting and low in service frequency and cost.
Which Furnaces are Energy Efficient?
When a furnace loses or wastes heat, it requires more energy to keep your home warm. Some furnaces lose heat through the walls of the furnace cabinet. Energy-efficient furnaces like Ruud’s full line of state-of-the-art models significantly reduce this loss with a blanket of insulation that lines the inside of the cabinet walls.
When a gas furnace is not in operation, most send a steady, wasteful draft of warm household air traveling up the venting system and out the roof. The Ruud Classic® Series and Classic® Plus Lines – feature an induced-draft blower that works in conjunction with a hot surface ignition system to pull hot gases through the heat exchanger at a constant and controlled rate of flow. As the burner cycles off, the draft blower stops, keeping the heating air in the system.
Pilot lights also can be wasteful. The electric ignition in many of Ruud’s furnaces eliminates the need for a constantly burning pilot. This feature alone gives up to 6% higher efficiency. And in combination with an induced-draft blower, can improve furnace efficiencies by over 20%.
Most gas furnaces vent combustion by-products and gases by allowing the warm air to rise naturally. However, on occasion, proper venting of combustion by-products may be restricted due to blockage, deterioration of venting systems, malfunctions or other causes.
The Ruud induced-draft blower maintains a constant draft through the heat exchanger, which assures proper venting of the furnace combustion chamber. Ruud also features a pressure switch which continuously monitors venting; and in the event it senses a vent flow restriction, it will automatically shut down your heating system for your safety.
The most efficient furnaces tap the energy of the hot vent gases – which can reach temperatures of 500 degrees Fahrenheit, and more. The Ruud 90 Plus® gas furnace does this by routing the hot gases through a secondary heat exchanger. This step captures the otherwise wasted heat—using it to preheat the household air—and delivers AFUE ratings up to 94.5%
A high-efficiency furnace generally wears a higher price tag, but it can make up the difference by reducing operating costs over the long run. And with today’s consumer interest in efficiency, such equipment enhances the bottom line of your home.
Are some furnaces better than others?
Definitely. Features to look for include heat exchangers that resist corrosion, direct-drive blower units, induced draft blowers, pressure switches, and an insulated blower compartment, which helps minimize operating noise.
You also should ask your dealer if the manufacturer of the brand you’re considering quality-checks and tests every unit before it leaves the plant.
And be sure to check out the terms of the Limited Warranty. Quality manufacturers put a convincing warranty behind their work. Ruud furnaces, which include all the features described here, offer one of the very best. Even the primary and secondary heat exchangers in the Ruud 90 PLUS are protected by a Limited Lifetime Heat Exchanger Warranty.
What should I look for in a dealer?
Dependability. Look for a dealer you see in your community. You want one who’s close by to provide you faster, more convenient service.
He should offer a recognized name brand. And he should have a well-stocked inventory of replacement parts. You wouldn’t want to sit out a mid-summer heat wave waiting for a simple repair!
One way to be sure you’ll get good service is to contact a neighborhood Ruud dealer.
Your local Ruud dealer is knowledgeable, dependable, and as good as any you’ll find in the home. Give him a call or click here to find a dealer near you.
