Are you thinking about upgrading your furnace but not quite sure where to begin?
We understand. Furnaces are more efficient than ever, with a plethora of features designed to keep you comfortable. They come in different sizes and shapes, some more powerful than others. They also have different price points based on their efficiency ratings.
The thermostat is the brains of your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system. But it’s the furnace that provides all the muscle, teaming up with your ductwork to send warm air throughout your North Carolina home.
And always remember, a happy home is a warm one! It would only take a few cold days in a row with no indoor heat for all the pipes in your home to freeze.
What matters most is to pick the right furnace that fits your budget and the size of your home. Our team at Sutton Brothers has the knowledge and expertise to help you make that choice. We’re a trusted name in Greensboro, NC, for creating healthy homes. Give us a call today—we can schedule a free consultation to help with your next home improvement project.
Choosing the Right Furnace by Fuel Type
Your first decision is easy: choosing the fuel type.
The most common source is natural gas. Your local utility company supplies fuel to your home through an underground gas line. The price of natural gas is relatively stable, so you don’t have to worry about cost fluctuations. Plus, you never need to worry about storage.
- If you have access to a natural gas line, we strongly recommend a gas furnace. These furnaces have proven their value over the years for providing steady comfort on the coldest of days.
- Oil furnaces are a popular alternative in the United States, particularly in parts of the Northeast that do not have easy access to natural gas. These types of furnaces last longer than gas furnaces but do not operate as efficiently. Oil prices fluctuate more than natural gas prices, making it harder to gauge your monthly expenses. Plus, you will need a storage tank for the oil.
- Electric furnaces tend to last longer than gas furnaces and cost less to install. On the other hand, they are more expensive to operate and take longer to heat your home. Anyone living in a cold climate would enjoy more comfort with a gas or oil furnace.
Choosing the Right Furnace Speed
Furnaces run at different speeds. The operating speed you choose will impact your comfort, budget, and indoor air quality (IAQ).
Single-stage furnaces have just two settings, on or off. Your furnace switches on and continues to run to reach the desired temperature. Once it reaches the temperature, the furnace turns off. Single-stage furnaces are the most affordable models and easiest to install. But they are the least efficient and tend to create hot and cold spots in larger homes.
Two-stage furnaces run at full speed and half speed. This allows your furnace to heat your home more evenly, producing a more consistent temperature from room to room. In addition to producing better heating, the half-speed setting is much quieter.
Variable-speed furnaces are the gold standard of the heating world. These models adjust their speeds to provide precise comfort. They run longer at slower speeds, improving efficiencies while lowering your energy bills. Because they do not frequently cycle on and off, these systems tend to have fewer breakdowns.
Variable-speed furnaces are much more adept in maintaining your indoor air quality, catching harmful particles, and eliminating excess moisture that causes mold growth. Larger homes benefit tremendously from variable-speed furnaces.
Choosing an Efficient Furnace
The AFUE (annual fuel utilization efficiency) rating on your furnace indicates how much energy it converts. An energy-efficient furnace with an AFUE rating of 95 can convert 95 percent of the energy it consumes into heat.
The higher the AFUE rating, the more money you save on monthly utility bills. Energy-efficient furnaces emit fewer greenhouse gases and make less noise when they operate. If you want to reduce your home’s carbon footprint, the perfect place to start is with your heating and cooling equipment!
How Much Money Can a New Furnace Save You?
Our AFUE energy savings calculator can help determine how much you could save on your utility bills. Enter your current unit’s AFUE value and compare it to a newer, more efficient system.
AFUE Energy Savings Calculator
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Customize to Your Home
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** Data from U.S. Energy Information Administration
*** Data from 2002 EPA study
** Data for Canadian cities from nrcan.gc.ca
*** Data from weatherdatadepot.com
Furnace Installation or Replacement
Don’t invest in a quality HVAC system and then hire a substandard contractor to install it. You will never enjoy the full benefits of a system installed incorrectly.
At Sutton Brothers, we specialize in installing equipment the right way. We take our time to ensure everything is measured correctly. Our team will also conduct a thorough energy audit of your home to find additional ways to lower your energy use.
Be sure to ask about our convenient financing options (subject to approved credit) designed to make it easy for you to create your dream home.
Furnace Repairs
Odd-sounding noises, a spike in energy bills, or constant cycling—these signs indicate a problem with your furnace. Don’t wait for a minor issue to turn into a costly problem. Give us a call today if you detect a problem with your HVAC system. We promise never to replace a part unless necessary—or if we can demonstrate significant cost savings.
Furnace Maintenance
Want to get the most value from your HVAC system? Develop a preventative maintenance plan. Doing so can rejuvenate your equipment, increase your comfort, and lower your operating costs.
Give us a call today and ask about our customized Savings Club tailored to fit your budget and needs. Enjoy peace of mind knowing a trusted professional is watching over your HVAC equipment.
Call Us Today
Our entire team at Sutton Brothers values the trust you placed in our company—we promise to work extra hard to keep your business. Let us install your next furnace. Give our Greensboro, NC, office a call today for a free consultation. Call us at 336-390-3902 or request service online today.
I have never had a bad or even less-than-excellent experience with Sutton Brothers in the five years I've used them.”
“I had a good experience yesterday when Hunter from Sutton Bros came to maintain and check my heating and AC system.
He was teaching another worker, and it seems that he knows what he is doing and is a good teacher. Hunter suggested a float switch for the furnace in the attic so that one day the drain would not flood the catch pan and then water trickle down to my ceiling. This is a preventative measure and is well worth installing. He did the job on this visit, which is an essential plan maintenance visit, a plan I purchased for the maintenance of my system. Hunter has been here before and I was glad to see him again. He works efficiently and is knowledgeable for such a young fella. He is thoughtful and kind and even vacuumed the metal shavings in the attic from the air duct cleaning I had done two years ago. He did that because he did not want me to climb the stairs with my shop vac as I am elderly and have fallen several times before on ladders and stairs. I value such professionalism intermingled with kindness.”
“Old furnace went out and decided to replace it and AC unit at same time. Service was great and very timely. The whole crew was professional, friendly, knowledgeable, and did a great job on short notice and…worked throughout a sleet/snow storm to get the job done!
Kudos to all in the office and especially to the installation crew.
And the price was very good compared to 3 other contractors.
Thank you, kindly!”
“Outstanding service. The technician quickly diagnosed the probable problem based on my description. Once he opened the unit, he confirmed that it was a faulty thermal switch. Ordered a new switch and replaced it once the switch was received.”
“Daniel was very professional and knowledgeable. He had the heat back up and running within no time! Sutton Brothers will be our family’s “go to” for all future needs.”
“I called this morning to schedule an appointment, and was astonished to be given one between 2:00 and 4:00 this afternoon. Abe was here promptly at 2:00, and spent 2 hours diagnosing the furnace’s problem.
He was not only prompt, but very polite and professional. This was my first time using Sutton Brothers, and I was very impressed.”
“We like the professional attitude of the person. He gave details of what was wrong, and he provided the cost to repair it.”
“Thank you Mark for such a great job on repairing my heating unit. You were very professional, knowledgeable and patience in the repair. He went over and above in the repair.”
“Abe came and checked our furnace which wasn’t working. He was very thorough and explained everything he found. He was professional, knowledgeable, and very pleasant.”
“Sutton bros were able to come out in a timely manner and repair our furnace. We really appreciate the reliable service and reasonable charges in this cold weather.”