If you’re looking for a new furnace for your Atlanta home, you’ve likely heard about two stage furnaces. And if you haven’t, you need to know about them.
In this article, we’ll talk about some of the benefits of two-stage furnaces and whether they’re right for the Atlanta area. But first, you need to understand what a single stage furnace is...
Single-stage furnaces basically have only one speed —on. And when they’re on, they run at 100% capacity, no matter what.
That can be very inefficient because it means that even if your home just needs a little heat, the furnace provides a lot of heat. On milder winter days, this causes the furnace to turn on for a very short time and then quickly turn off.
This turning on and off repeatedly is called short cycling and is very inefficient.
Think about your car. Constantly starting and stopping your car at traffic lights is less efficient than letting it run uninterrupted on a highway. It’s the same for your furnace.
Yet this is how most furnaces operated for a long time. Until two-stage furnaces broke onto the scene…
Unlike a single-stage furnace, a two-stage furnace can run at two different heating outputs. So instead of only being either 100% on or 100% off, it has another setting that lets it run at a reduced output, usually around 65%.
So on mild winter days, a two-stage furnace will turn on at the lower heating setting and run longer.
And even though it’s running longer, it’s actually operating more efficiently because it’s using less energy and cycling on and off less frequently.
This has another benefit: Running longer at a lower speed will make you feel more comfortable. The longer runtime better circulates the air in your home, getting rid of hot and cold spots in your home.
Winters in Atlanta have a few very cold days (relative to other states, anyway). Most of our winter is pretty mild. So, on mildly cold days, the two-stage furnace will use the lower setting, keeping you warm and saving you money. And then on the few really cold days, it will use the higher setting.
Basically, you get the energy savings of a small furnace for most of winter while still having enough heating capacity to keep you warm when it gets really cold! (Sometimes you can have your cake and eat it, too.)
Have more questions about picking a new furnace for your Atlanta area home? Contact us and we’ll be happy to answer them.
Ragsdale Heating, Air and Plumbing has been serving the needs of homeowners in Atlanta and the surrounding areas for over 25 years.
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