If your old furnace barely made it through the winter, it's time to think about a heating replacement. Spring is a good time since the weather is mild so you won't be too cold or too hot when your HVAC has to be off.
However, replacing your heating system any time before next winter is important or you might have to deal with a furnace failure when it's freezing outside. Here are some options to consider and compare when you need to replace your furnace.
A Heat Pump
A heat pump might be a good choice if you intend to replace your entire HVAC system. If your furnace is old and worn out, your AC may need to be replaced too. An advantage of a heat pump is that it both heats and cools your house with a single piece of equipment, except for the blowers that are mounted on the inside walls. You could use a heat pump with ducts, but if your ducts are bad too, you could just hook the heat pump up to blowers instead.
Hydronic Floor Heating
If you plan to keep your old air conditioner or if you'll get a new AC but just want a different heating style, then hydronic floor heating is worth a close look. If the floors in your house are cold in the winter, floor heating is a good solution.
This heating system circulates hot water through tubes under your flooring. The heat rises up through the floor and heats your home. This may be an option to consider if you're also updating your home and putting in new flooring.
Electric Or Baseboard Heaters
Electric heaters may not be the most economical way to heat your home, but you may like the option of being able to heat portions of your home independently. These mount along the wall or near the floor. You'll need multiple heaters to heat your entire home.
A Furnace
After comparing your heating replacement options, you may decide it's best to get a new furnace. This is often the best choice when you want central air conditioning too since a furnace and AC share the air handler and ducts. However, when you get a new furnace, you'll need to decide if you want all new HVAC equipment that includes a furnace, thermostat, AC condenser, evaporator coil, and ducts or if you'll just get the furnace.
Contact an HVAC contractor for more information about heating replacement options.
When you build a home or make a large addition to the home, you will hire a general contractor to oversee the project and do the majority of the work. This individual may subcontract some small tasks to specialists, such as window installers and HVAC techs, but for the most part, it is their responsibility to ensure everything is built according to plan.
As you can imagine, general contractors have very varied jobs. No two days are alike! On this website, you will learn more about what general contractors do, which will come in handy the next time you need to hire one.