Furnace and Air Conditioner Combo
Air conditioner and furnace combos use the same blower to distribute conditioned air throughout your home. They can also be controlled via smart thermostats.
Using a different brand for your furnace and AC could invalidate your warranty on both units. The two units being matched saves time and money on maintenance and repairs.
1. Energy Efficiency
Modern furnaces and air conditioners are highly energy efficient, particularly when paired together. You can save a great amount on your monthly utility costs by selecting a gas heater with an air conditioner that has an SEER rating. To get the most efficient results, have a professional do a load calculation for your home. This will help you determine what size and kind of system is best for your space.
Furnaces create heat by burning fuel with propane or natural gas. The steam is then circulated through ductwork to warm 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, working together to maintain your home’s temperature right.
Think about a variable-speed AC unit if you wish to further increase the energy efficiency of your system. This technology allows your air conditioner to operate at a lower rate and helps it better extract moisture from the air, resulting in drier indoor air.
Heat pumps are a great alternative for homeowners living in mild climates. They are able to provide cooling and heating without burning any fuel. They transfer heat out of your home and into the outside air, reducing the cost of energy and affecting the environment.
A hybrid system, which incorporates a heat pump with traditional gas furnaces to provide back-up warmth during the coldest months–is another option. A new high-efficiency heat pumps will make use of the same technology to transfer heat from one area of your home to another, but with an added gas furnace to provide back-up in the coldest winter temperatures.
If you replace your old, inefficient HVAC system with a brand new high-efficiency furnace and conditioner, you could reduce your energy costs by as much as 40%. For the greatest energy savings, be certain to install the proper insulation and weatherization settings in conjunction with your new HVAC system.
2. Longevity
The lifespan of a furnace is between 15 and 30 years and an AC unit can last for 15 to 20 years. In general an HVAC system is replaced when a component starts to show signs of ageing or has serious malfunctions which affect its performance. When this happens, a homeowner is often faced with the dilemma of whether to replace the air conditioner or furnace. Although it might seem counterintuitive to invest in an HVAC system that is brand new if your current one is functioning well, this is often the most beneficial option for homeowners since they will reduce repair costs and cut their energy bills with a newer system.
Purchasing and installing two HVAC systems new could be expensive. A combination of a furnace and air conditioner is much less expensive however. Plus, you will only need to maintain the system once per year instead of twice a year with separate units.
A high-efficiency system is another method to lower the cost of the combination furnace and air conditioner. Most modern gas furnaces come with an AFUE (annual energy efficiency ratio) of at minimum 80%, and most AC units come with SEER (seasonal performance rating) of 16 or greater. This will save you money on your energy bills and reduce your home heating and cooling expenses.
If you opt for a furnace and AC combo from the same manufacturer, you’ll also benefit from high energy efficiency and long-lasting performance since the systems will cooperate well. If you choose two different brands, keep in mind that a mismatched combo will affect their efficiency and longevity.
Mismatched units can cause serious issues that could result in leaks of refrigerant and CO which can be dangerous for humans. These problems can also damage your HVAC system and your ductwork.
A professional from Georgia Air Repair can perform precise HVAC repairs on any kind of equipment. However, it’s important to know that the majority of manufacturers won’t honor their warranties if you mix and match their units. Selecting the same brand for your furnace and air conditioning will ensure that the unit is correctly installed and repaired and will provide the best performance throughout its life.
3. Convenience
When you opt to install a furnace as well as an air conditioner combo the HVAC systems are designed to work together seamlessly. 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. Choosing a unit that is specifically designed to operate well with your other HVAC component will save you money and time in the long in the long run. This will ensure that the new and current HVAC components work together without voiding any warranties or causing any other issues to the system.
Having a furnace and air conditioning unit inside your home will provide you with year round comfort. These units can cool and heat the entire house, in contrast to window air conditioners that are only effective during the summer months and can lead to CO poisoning in winter. They are also more robust and reliable than other types of cooling and heating systems.
A combination air conditioner and furnace unit can help you save on energy costs too. While conventional HVAC systems have SEER ratings as high as 10, a combo unit has a higher SEER value which means you will enjoy more energy savings and convenience. Depending on your utility rates and the climate, you might even be saving money by using a heat pump when combined with electric or gas furnace.
If you’re planning on purchasing your air conditioner and furnace using credit, you may think about a combination unit instead of two separate units. Buying two HVAC systems using credit has the result of taking two hits on your credit report, which may negatively impact your borrowing power for a long time. If you purchase a single AC heater combo unit with an approved credit card your credit score won’t suffer any damage at all.
The replacement of a furnace and AC unit is much simpler using your existing ductwork. Replacing both the AC and furnace will require extensive ductwork and can be costly.
4. Versatility
For those who live in areas that have moderate temperatures, a furnace and AC combination can be a good choice. It can efficiently heat your home in the winter, and cool it in summer. Also called gas-electric systems, this type of HVAC system makes use of propane or natural gas to heat your home during the winter and electricity to cool it down during summer. This makes it more flexible than an air conditioner and furnace combo that can only function in only one mode at a time.
The chemical freon is utilized by air conditioners to cool your home. The AC unit is first compressed by the freon, and then evaporates to circulate cool air throughout your house. It also absorbs heat in the air surrounding your home, which helps to keep it cool. But if your home isn’t well-insulated then the evaporation cycle could cause the air to lose its cooling power. This happens when the refrigerant leaks, or the heat exchanger wears down.
Furnaces make use of combustion to heat your house but they are not as efficient than air conditioners in terms of heating. They also have a tougher to deal with cold temperatures than air conditioners. Many people in mild climates prefer an oil furnace combination. This kind of HVAC blends the energy-efficient characteristics of a heat pump with the reliability of an oil furnace.
When choosing the best combination of furnace and AC, you must make sure that it is appropriate for the space you live in. A HVAC expert can help you determine which HVAC system is the best for your home. They’ll consider factors like the size of the room, insulation, and the level of humidity.
A technician in heating and cooling can also assist you in deciding what size furnace and air conditioner you require. They’ll consider your cooling and heating needs, as well as any future expansion plans for your home. They will also tell you which rebates and incentives you can get.
Get three quotes from different contractors prior to purchasing the new HVAC unit. Then, you can compare the costs and the AFUE ratings of each. Be aware that a professional installation of your HVAC system is necessary to ensure your warranty.
