Furnace and Air Conditioner Combo
Furnace and air conditioner combination units use the same blower to distribute the conditioned air throughout your home. They also integrate with smart thermostats to provide individualized control.
Using a different brand of your furnace and AC could invalidate your warranty on both units. Combining the two units can save time and money during repairs and maintenance.
1. Energy Efficiency
Modern furnaces and AC units are extremely energy efficient, particularly when they’re used in conjunction. By choosing a gas furnace with an air conditioning unit with a high SEER rating, you can save money on your energy bills throughout the year. A professional can determine the energy load of your home to ensure the most efficient results. This will allow you to determine which size and kind of system is suitable for your space.
Furnaces generate heat using propane or natural gas to burn fuel and create hot steam. This steam then circulates through ductwork, warming the air inside your home. Then, during the summer, an air conditioner uses a refrigerant–generally a cool gas called freon–to evaporate into a liquid and cool the air that circulates through your home’s ducts. These two systems are like Goldilocks and work together to keep your home’s temperature right.
Think about a variable-speed AC unit if you want to increase the energy efficiency of your system. This technology allows your air conditioner to operate at a lower capacity, which helps it to remove moisture from the air, resulting in dry air inside.
For homeowners living in mild climates the heat pump can provide the cooling and heating they require without burning fuel. These units transfer heat out of your home to the outside air, reducing the cost of energy and affecting the environment.
Another option is a hybrid system that combines a heatpump with gas furnace to provide back-up heating during coldest months. A new high efficiency heat pump will use exactly the same technology to transfer warmth from one part of your home to another, but with a gas furnace added for backup during the coldest temperatures.
By replacing your old inefficient HVAC system with a brand new high-efficiency furnace and conditioner, you could cut your home energy bills by up to 40%. To get the most savings on energy, make sure to install insulation, weatherization, and thermostat settings in conjunction with your new HVAC system.
2. Longevity
The lifespan of a furnace is 15-30 years and an AC unit can last 15-20 years. In general, an HVAC system is replaced when one part starts to show signs ageing or suffers from serious malfunctions which affect its performance. If this occurs, a homeowner is often faced with the decision of whether to replace the air conditioner or furnace. Although it might seem counterintuitive to purchase an HVAC system that is brand new if your old one is still functioning well, this is usually the best option for homeowners as they will reduce repair costs and lower their energy costs with a modern system.
Installing and buying two new HVAC systems is costly. A combination of a furnace and air conditioner is much less expensive, however. You’ll only need to service your system once a yr, instead of twice as often if you have separate units.
A high-efficiency system is a different way to reduce the cost of a combination furnace and air conditioner. Most modern gas furnaces come with an AFUE rating that is at least 80 percent while the majority of AC units come with an SEER (seasonal energy efficiency ratio) rating of 16 or more. This can help you reduce your energy costs and drastically reduce your home’s heating and cooling expenses.
If you select a furnace and AC combination from the same company, you will also enjoy high energy efficiency since the two systems are compatible. If you decide to choose two brands, be aware that a mismatched combination will reduce their efficiency and longevity.
Mismatched units can cause serious issues that could result in leaks of refrigerant or CO, which are hazardous for humans. These problems can also cause damage to your HVAC system and your ductwork.
A professional from Georgia Air Repair can perform precise HVAC repairs on any kind of equipment. It’s important to know that the majority of manufacturers will not honor their warranty if you mix and match their units. Selecting the same brand for your air conditioning and furnace will ensure that your unit is installed correctly and maintained, and will offer the best performance throughout its life.
3. Convenience
Both HVAC systems operate seamlessly when you install a furnace and air conditioner combination. The units have shared components, such as the blower fan that distributes temperature-controlled air through your home’s duct system and into rooms of your choice. You can save time and money by selecting the unit that is compatible with the other HVAC component. It will also ensure that your existing and new components will function perfectly without voiding one’s warranty or causing problems with the HVAC system.
A furnace and air conditioning combo in your home will provide you with all year round comfort. These units can cool and heat your entire home, unlike window air conditioners, which are only effective in the summer months and can lead to CO poisoning in winter. They are also more durable and reliable than other types of heating and cooling systems.
A furnace and air conditioner combo unit will save you on energy bills as well. Combination units have an increased SEER rating than conventional HVAC systems. This allows you to conserve energy and also enjoy more convenience. Depending on your rates for utilities and the climate, you might even be able to save money by using a heating pump along with a gas or electric furnace.
If you are planning on buying your air conditioning and furnace with a loan, you may be interested in a combo unit instead of two separate units. Credit card purchases for two HVAC systems could negatively affect your borrowing capacity over the course of years. If you purchase a single AC heater with an approved credit card, your credit score won’t suffer any damage at all.
A furnace and air conditioner combo can also permit you to utilize your existing ductwork, which makes the process much less difficult than replacing only an AC unit or a brand new furnace. The cost of replacing both the air conditioning and furnace could be substantial.
4. Versatility
A furnace AC combo is a fantastic option for those living in moderate climates. It can heat your home efficiently during the winter months, and cool it in the summer. Also known as gas-electric systems, this kind of HVAC system makes use propane gas or natural gas to warm your home in the winter, and electricity to cool it down in the summer. This makes it more flexible than a combination of an air conditioner and furnace that can only work in one mode.
The chemical freon is employed by air conditioners to cool your house. The AC unit compresses first the freon, which then evaporates to circulate cool air throughout your house. It also absorbs heat from surrounding air, which helps keep your home cool. If your house isn’t properly insulate, the process of evaporation could cause the air in your home to lose its cooling capacity. This occurs when the refrigerant or heat exchanger wears out.
Furnaces utilize combustion to heat your home however they are less efficient than air conditioners in terms of heating. Air conditioners are not able to withstand cold temperatures. This is why many people who live in mild climates opt for a heat pump oil furnace combination. This type of HVAC combines energy-efficient features from a heatpump with the reliability of an oilstove.
The most important factor to consider when choosing the right AC/furnace combo is making sure it’s the right size for your home. A HVAC professional can assist you to determine which HVAC system is best for your house. They’ll consider factors like square footage as well as insulation and the humidity levels.
A technician in heating and cooling can also assist you in deciding the size of furnace and air conditioner you need. They’ll take into account your heating and cooling requirements, as well any future expansion plans you might have for your home. They’ll also let you know which incentives and rebates you could get.
Before you buy a new HVAC system, you should obtain three quotes from different contractors. Compare the costs and AFUE rating of each one. Make sure you have a professional install of your HVAC system is necessary to protect your warranty.