Are you worried that you might have an oversized furnace? Call (860) 530-2792 for reliable HVAC help.
Does your home always feel too warm with the furnace running? Do you want to make sure that you purchase the correct size furnace for your home? Trust West Hartford’s furnace repair experts to help you pick the right one and keep your furnace in tip-top shape all season long.
What Problems Can an Oversized Furnace Cause?
Your oversized furnace can cause more than one potential problem that can catch you by surprise. We break down the four main issues you might face with a furnace that is too large.
Furnace Running Short Cycles
The easiest way to understand the inefficiency of your furnace when it runs short cycles is to relate it to driving your car in town rather than on the highway. The short runs are harder on the system and prevent it from reaching optimal efficiency.
The short repetitions of only reaching the warm-up phase of the heating cycle end up causing a need for increased furnace maintenance and repair.
Inefficient Fuel Usage
You might be tempted to install a larger furnace than necessary in an effort to make your home warmer through the winter. However, by only reaching the warm-up phase before going inactive after satisfying the thermostat, your energy bills will suffer.
You will end up paying more for the larger heater in fuel, and you may still have zones in your home that are significantly under the thermostat’s setting. Some individuals attempt to run the furnace fan full-time to mitigate the shortcomings, but this also drives up utility expenses over time.
Increase in Heat Loss
An oversized furnace will end up shutting off the blower fan before all of the warmed air reaches every zone through your duct system. It will shut off early because the system thinks it has reached optimal temperature. The ductwork itself will just absorb the heat from the air unless the air is moving through the system.
Uneven Heating Throughout the Home
Homes with multiple zones where the heater works to warm may experience a noticeable unevenness in the comfort levels throughout each zone. The zone closest to the heater may be warmer than you want, while areas further away may inspire you to grab a sweater.
A professional installation will calculate the size of your home using a square foot measurement system to ensure the most efficient BTUs to keep every zone comfortable.
What You Should Know About Appropriately Sizing a Furnace
There are numerous factors that influence the ideal sizing of your residential or commercial furnace. We will share a few of the most important considerations in picking the right size furnace for your home to help you know what to expect from your installation process.
- Square footage of the home – A smaller home won’t need a unit with a high BTU capability, while a large home or commercial space may require a significantly larger heating system.
- Quality of insulation – Insulation around the building will also play a major part in the efficiency of your furnace. Old, fallen insulation won’t be able to keep the warmed air inside your building as easily as newer insulation.
- Air leakage rate – Poorly sealed windows, doors, and other points where conditioned air may leak out of the building will influence the efficacy of your furnace. You can repair these points of loss to help negate unwanted air leakage.
- Regional temperatures – The contrast between the typical outdoor temperature in your region and the desired temperature on your thermostat is another vital factor in appropriately sizing your furnace. Colder regions may require higher BTUs to combat the cold.
Each of the above factors plays a vital role in determining the best size furnace for your home or business. If your previous installation service didn’t ask you anything about the above considerations, your furnace could be the wrong size for your home.
Should You Worry About Your Older, Oversized Furnace?
Generally speaking, many older furnaces over ten years old are technically oversized for the building they are in. Homes and businesses with oil-based furnaces and boilers are particularly notorious for having oversized installations.
If you have an older furnace, you should consider replacing it with a new, highly efficient model that is perfectly sized for your home. A modern electric or gas furnace will have advanced technology to increase comfort while reducing heat, energy, and overall costs.
The biggest concern with an oversized furnace is the exhaust fumes from the combustion that heats the air for distribution throughout the home. Short cycles can increase these fumes due to the inability to reach ideal run times. Old ventilation systems may contribute to carbon monoxide poisoning by failing to vent the fumes outside the home.
What About Undersized Furnaces?
In many cases, an undersized furnace will run much like a properly-sized furnace, but you may need an additional layer of clothing on some of the colder nights of the year. The run-time may be nearly non-stop, but a longer-run time does allow for better fuel efficiency.
However, the increase in run-time in an attempt to meet the thermostat setting may cause parts to fail more quickly than in a normally-running system.
Invest in Professional Furnace Installation
The services we offer include, but aren’t limited to:
- Oil to Natural Gas Furnace and Boiler Conversions
- Furnace repair and maintenance
- Furnace installation
- Emergency services
If you have concerns about owning an oversized furnace, you can trust the professionals at SM Mechanical Services to help. With our expert team by your side, you will be able to trust your furnace to weather the winter storms year after year. Allow our licensed, insured professionals to handle your HVAC issues quickly and affordably.
Are you wondering how you should maintain your furnace throughout the winter season? Check out our furnace maintenance checklist, or contact SM Mechanical Services at (860) 530-2792 for reliable HVAC services.