Question: Will my new furnace work differently than my old one?

Question: Will My New Furnace Work Differently Than My old One?

Furnace technology has advanced significantly in recent years. Modern furnaces provide more even and efficient heating than past furnaces by design. This can impact both how your system operates, sounds and what you notice about your system.

New And More Powerful Furnace Components

More Powerful Blower Motors

To better regulate temperatures and airflow, modern furnaces move more air over the heat exchanger than older furnaces. The air that comes out of your registers may not seem as warm as the air from your old furnace, but overall airflow is improved. Better airflow means higher comfort.

Also by design, new furnaces integrate with high-efficiency air conditioners. And therefore, furnace blowers are more powerful to serve the air conditioning system. Since air conditioning requires more airflow, your system must deliver cool air throughout your home. This is achieved through an extra boost from your furnaces blower motor. In some cases, such as if you have an older home, this performance boost could produce unfamiliar sounds. Many air duct systems were originally designed for heating only. So, to minimize sound levels, choose a variable speed furnace which automatically changes speeds to meet the airflow needs of both heating and cooling cycles.

Inducer Motors

Todays furnaces have more components than old ones. Because of this, furnaces now achieve higher efficiency ratings. The efficiency rating system for furnaces is AFUE. AFUE stands for Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency. Old furnaces used the concept of “hot air rises”. They vented gasses out of your home using the “chimney effect” or “Stack effect”. As a result, these furnaces achieved an average AFUE of 70%. Introducing another motor into the design that pushes out the combustion gasses has increased efficiency significantly.

However, the new motor adds more noise than before. If your furnace is located in a closet, try insulating the closet door. Also, make sure your door closes and seals tight. This will reduce any unwanted noises. If you’re concerned that the noise means your furnace is broken, don’t worry—many modern units naturally operate differently than older models. Not enough? Add insulation to the return cavity under the furnace. In many cases, the noise bounces off concrete, which is not ideal.