Make Absolutely Sure That Your Furnace is Sized Properly

It can be pretty tempting to rush through the selection process when getting a new furnace, especially if your home doesn’t currently have a working heating system. However, there are some considerations that you really shouldn’t ignore.
One of those considerations is furnace size. A furnace that is either oversized or undersized can cause very serious problems for you, both in terms of comfort and cost efficiency.

Oversized Furnace Problems
A furnace that is too large will generate too much output for the home in which it is installed. This will cause the thermostat to shut the furnace down before it is able to complete its full cycle. This is called short cycling. There are two main effects of the furnace short cycling.

First, it drops the output of the furnace considerably. Second, it significantly increases the amount of strain on the system. A furnace that is left to short cycle for long periods of time will have parts begin to wear out and break down. The problems will continue to mount, eventually resulting in the death of the system years earlier than it otherwise would.

Undersized Furnace Problems
If you install an undersized furnace in your home, you won’t have to worry about it short cycling. However, you will end up with a fairly similar set of problems in the long run. An undersized furnace will have to operate for longer periods of time than it was designed to, since it doesn’t generate enough output to properly heat the home.
These periods of longer operation cause much more wear and tear to accumulate on the various parts of the system, much the same as if it were too large instead of too small. In the end, the result is the same: mounting frequency and severity of breakdowns, followed by having to replace the entire system much earlier than you would have to if it were properly sized.

Proper Sizing
So, we’ve already covered all of the bad things that can happen if you don’t size your furnace properly. The good news is that you can make sure that your furnace is the right size beforehand, in order to avoid all of these issues. First, you should understand that we’re not just talking about physical system size. Just because the furnace physically fits in the space allotted for it, doesn’t mean that it is actually properly sized.
It’s the output of the system that matters, measured mainly by the square footage it’s designed to service. This is what you need to look at first when you’re considering furnace sizing. If you don’t quite know what the ideal furnace size and output rating is for your home, consult with a professional to make sure you get the ideal system for your needs.

SPS Mechanical Inc. provides furnace installation services in Haddonfield, NJ. If you’re in the market for a new furnace, we can make sure that you get the best one for your situation. Contact us today for an appointment with one of our experts.