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 California 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 Air Care has the knowledge and expertise to help you make that choice. We’re a trusted name in San Jose, CA, 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
{{ afueOld }}% vs {{ afueNew }}%
{{ annualNaturalGasSavingsPercent() }}%
Savings
AFUE
Annual Cost
AFUE
Annual Cost
Estimated 15-Year Savings:*
${{ projectedNaturalGasSavings }}
{{ year }} {{ state }} average residential natural gas
retail price of
${{ rateResidentialNaturalGas }}/Mcf**.
*Based on an average annual rate increase of {{
avgUtilityIncrease }}%.
This calculator does not guarantee actual costs or savings and is only to be used for educational purposes.
Customize to Your Home
Adjust these settings for a more accurate calculation:
State
Province
Region
Rate ($/Mcf)
BTUs
Average Annual Heating Hours***
Historical Comparison
{{ state }}'s natural gas prices compared to {{ yearFifteenYearsAgo }}.
{{ yearFifteenYearsAgo }}
--
${{ priceFifteenYearsAgo }}/Mcf
{{ yearTenYearsAgo }}
{{ differenceTenYears }}
${{ priceTenYearsAgo }}/Mcf
{{ yearFiveYearsAgo }}
{{ differenceFiveYears }}
${{ priceFiveYearsAgo }}/Mcf
{{ year }}
{{ differenceCurrentYear }}
${{ rateResidentialNaturalGas }}/Mcf
** 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 Air Care, 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 help make it possible 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 Care 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 Air Care 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 San Jose, CA, office a call today for a free consultation. Call us at 408.317.2950 or request service online today.
Need Furnace Service?
Contact the experts at Air Care.
Call us at 408.317.2950!
“Extremely friendly and polite. I love that you can text them and that they provide a photo. They also gave me guidance on how to clean my cleanable filters. Fantastic service, thank you! James and Christian were awesome!”
“Heater wasn’t working properly. Called and got an appointment for the same day. Brian and Steven came out diagnosed the issue and fixed within an hour, Both were knowledgeable and friendly and detailed the repair. Great service. Would recommend.”
“Roberto was great! Very thorough and professional.”
“James was my technician. I was really impressed how quickly he got the job done . He knew exactly what to do. I’m glad he is a part of the AirCare team.”
“James did an excellent job seeking and identifying the part that caused out old gas furnace to break down.
Were very happy with the way he explained the work he was doing, with his finding the solution,
and have made a note of the company name and contacvt information for any future HVAC work that may need to be done
in our house.”
“We have used AirCare 3 years ago for AC repair so contacted them again for maintenance check this year. Brian P. came to service our AC and Furnace.
He was prompt, efficient and courteous. Company kept us posted on an unexpected change in scheduling. Will definitely consider AirCare for future heating and cooling
system needs.”
“My 1st time to try AirCare after reading some reviews. I decided to give a try. And indeed AirCare met my expectations. James Quan (the technician) called me and arrived on time. He asked the right questions, explained to me what was the problem, researched what the best way to repair in order to meet the city of SJ requirements. He was quick yet detailed, and careful to make sure not to mass up the area, truly a professional technician. I had a great experiences with James' work.”
“Air Care Heating and Cooling provided exceptional service! James, our technician, was professional, friendly, and super efficient while swapping out our heaters. He made the whole process seamless. Thanks to him, our suite is now warm and cozy. Highly recommend them for anyone needing heating and cooling solutions!”