Smile Heating & Cooling Inc. Guide to Cutting Costs on New Furnace installation | Page 6

3. Features
It’s tempting to spend more money on a furnace that comes with additional features. However, you
don’t have to if you are looking to save on the installation cost. Actually, it does not make sense to
pay for features that you don’t need or ones that you may never use. Some of the features that may
elevate the cost of a furnace and may not be necessary to you include:
 AFUE (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency): This refers to the rate at which heating cost is
saved. You have to buy a furnace that has a higher AFUE rating provided you can afford it.
 Two-stage operation: This is a situation where your furnace comes with two combustion
chambers instead of one. It’s a great idea when you live in a place where the temperatures drop
extremely low.
 Modulating valve: Think of this feature as a car modulator that regulates the fuel that goes into
the engine. Do you really have to pay for such a feature if you already know that your furnace is
energy-efficient? Besides, if you can’t sacrifice the time to monitor the furnace’s fuel
consumption, then you don’t need the feature.
Only go for features that you really need. If the above features are not necessary, then drop them and
you’ll be able to pay less on a new furnace.