There is a new furnace on the market that provides unparalleled comfort and efficiency and includes features that will be the standard for all furnaces in the future. The furnace is a modulating variable speed furnace that has an efficiency rating of 95% that means that 95 cents of a dollar worth of gas is converted into heat and 5 cents is wasted up the chimney.
The modulating feature is the part of the furnace that makes this furnace unique and is the feature that will someday be included in all furnaces, not just top of the line models. Furnaces today are single stage, two stage or three stage. A single stage furnace is either on or off and anytime the furnace is on, it puts out the maximum amount of heat possible. This design works ok for very cold climates. But in climates like Atlanta, where the temperatures can vary drastically from moderate to extreme cold, it is not the best choice. The early answer for this comfort problem was a furnace with a two stage gas valve that can put out a little heat on a moderate day and then ramp up to put out more heat on a very cold day. This design is much more comfortable and even as it can keep the temperature band of plus or minus one degree. This two-stage furnace was first introduced with a two-speed blower motor that had a low and high-speed setting and then later brought out with a variable speed blower with infinite fan settings that really improved the comfort level.
The three-stage furnace was an attempt to improve comfort even more by having three distinct heat levels combined with a variable speed motor to give many more potential settings. These furnaces have efficiency ratings of 95% and were more comfortable than two stage models as they were able to adjust their heat output more accurately to the need than a furnace with only two stages.
The new modulating furnace has a gas valve that has infinite numbers of settings that allows the heat output to be precisely matched to the need in your home at any given time. As the temperature in your home starts to reach the preset setting, the gas valve starts to throttle back and the furnace slows down to just achieve the temperature settings and not overshoot it. It then puts out just enough heat to maintain the desired temperature plus or minus one degree. This type of operation will provide a type of comfort never before experienced before with a quiet, warm feeling that you will love. It also will save gas dollars and electrical costs. The blower motor or fan uses D/C current to allow it to be variable speed and this motor only consumes $30 a year in electric. The furnace also has the ability to communicate with the other components in the system and sends reports back to the installing dealer as to its performance and proper operation. This feature is the start of the wave of the future in home appliances to be part of home automation systems and to be interactive with the owner and the servicing dealer. The furnace also has an integrated dehumidification feature that will help remove extra moisture in the summer.
The new modulating furnace is a great option to look at if you are in need of a new furnace and it also qualifies for a tax credit of 30% of the installed cost from the federal government.