When it’s time to replace your outdated furnace, it’s important to realize one size does not fit all. A system that is not sized correctly for your home, will not only affect your comfort but can lead to shortened life of your furnace, and leave you with larger energy costs.

If you pick a furnace oversized for your house, you’ll start to experience short cycles. The reason is that your oversized furnace heated your home too rapidly, turning off before the furnace can reach the right operating temperatures. An undersized or oversized system can lead to a shortened life span and bigger expenses.

How can you be certain about the correct furnace size for your home? Start with a load calculation from the team at Van Haaften Plumbing & Heating. A load calculation takes aspects from your home into consideration and measures the Btu (a number that indicates the heating capacity of a furnace) needed to heat your house.

Some Things that Influence Furnace Size

  • Square Footage—What size is the area your furnace will be heating? Your technician will be sure to carefully measure the square footage of your home. Not every inch of your home needs to be accounted for during this process. Often, it is more valuable to account only for the space that needs heating.
  • Home Insulation—Insulation assists in keeping warm air from filtering out of your home through the cold winter months. It also heavily affects energy efficiency and how large of a heating system will be necessary. Let the experts from Van Haaften Plumbing & Heating review the insulation in your walls and attic. They’ll help you choose the perfect furnace for your house.
  • Type of Window—Just like your walls, the certain type of windows in your home, frame type, glaze type, gas fills/spaces, etc. will influence your heating and cooling requirements.
  • Outdoor Climate—Consider the range of weather you experience in Pella. You’ll want a furnace that can handle the conditions of your environment every year, without overworking itself.

Don’t settle for ‘close enough’ when selecting your new furnace. Let the experts at Van Haaften Plumbing & Heating help you find a unit that will fit your home properly. When you’re ready to get started, contact us at 641-628-3621 or arrange an appointment online. Whether you have additional questions about furnace size or want to learn more of the options for your space, our experts are happy to help you out.