Gas Furnaces

Furnace service.
Furnace service.

How to Choose the Right Furnace

Are you thinking about upgrading your furnace but not quite sure where to begin?

We understand. Furnaces are more efficient than ever, with a plethora of features designed to keep you comfortable. They come in different sizes and shapes, some more powerful than others. They also have different price points based on their efficiency ratings.

The thermostat is the brains of your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system. But it’s the furnace that provides all the muscle, teaming up with your ductwork to send warm air throughout your North Carolina home.

And always remember, a happy home is a warm one! It would only take a few cold days in a row with no indoor heat for all the pipes in your home to freeze.

What matters most is to pick the right furnace that fits your budget and the size of your home. Our team at Stout Heating & Air Conditioning has the knowledge and expertise to help you make that choice. We’re a trusted name in Salisbury, NC, for creating healthy homes. Give us a call today—we can schedule a free consultation to help with your next home improvement project.

Choosing the Right Furnace by Fuel Type

Your first decision is easy: choosing the fuel type.

The most common source is natural gas. Your local utility company supplies fuel to your home through an underground gas line. The price of natural gas is relatively stable, so you don’t have to worry about cost fluctuations. Plus, you never need to worry about storage.

  • If you have access to a natural gas line, we strongly recommend a gas furnace. These furnaces have proven their value over the years for providing steady comfort on the coldest of days.
  • Oil furnaces are a popular alternative in the United States, particularly in parts of the Northeast that do not have easy access to natural gas. These types of furnaces last longer than gas furnaces but do not operate as efficiently. Oil prices fluctuate more than natural gas prices, making it harder to gauge your monthly expenses. Plus, you will need a storage tank for the oil.
  • Electric furnaces tend to last longer than gas furnaces and cost less to install. On the other hand, they are more expensive to operate and take longer to heat your home. Anyone living in a cold climate would enjoy more comfort with a gas or oil furnace.

Choosing the Right Furnace Speed

Furnaces run at different speeds. The operating speed you choose will impact your comfort, budget, and indoor air quality (IAQ).

Single-stage furnaces have just two settings, on or off. Your furnace switches on and continues to run to reach the desired temperature. Once it reaches the temperature, the furnace turns off. Single-stage furnaces are the most affordable models and easiest to install. But they are the least efficient and tend to create hot and cold spots in larger homes.

Two-stage furnaces run at full speed and half speed. This allows your furnace to heat your home more evenly, producing a more consistent temperature from room to room. In addition to producing better heating, the half-speed setting is much quieter.

Variable-speed furnaces are the gold standard of the heating world. These models adjust their speeds to provide precise comfort. They run longer at slower speeds, improving efficiencies while lowering your energy bills. Because they do not frequently cycle on and off, these systems tend to have fewer breakdowns.

Variable-speed furnaces are much more adept in maintaining your indoor air quality, catching harmful particles, and eliminating excess moisture that causes mold growth. Larger homes benefit tremendously from variable-speed furnaces.

Choosing an Efficient Furnace

The AFUE (annual fuel utilization efficiency) rating on your furnace indicates how much energy it converts. An energy-efficient furnace with an AFUE rating of 95 can convert 95 percent of the energy it consumes into heat.

The higher the AFUE rating, the more money you save on monthly utility bills. Energy-efficient furnaces emit fewer greenhouse gases and make less noise when they operate. If you want to reduce your home’s carbon footprint, the perfect place to start is with your heating and cooling equipment!

How Much Money Can a New Furnace Save You?

Our AFUE energy savings calculator can help determine how much you could save on your utility bills. Enter your current unit’s AFUE value and compare it to a newer, more efficient system.

AFUE Energy Savings Calculator

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This calculator does not guarantee actual costs or savings and is only to be used for educational purposes.

Customize to Your Home

Adjust these settings for a more accurate calculation:

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** Data from U.S. Energy Information Administration
*** Data from 2002 EPA study

** Data for Canadian cities from nrcan.gc.ca
*** Data from weatherdatadepot.com

Furnace Installation or Replacement

Don’t invest in a quality HVAC system and then hire a substandard contractor to install it. You will never enjoy the full benefits of a system installed incorrectly.

At Stout Heating & Air Conditioning, we specialize in installing equipment the right way. We take our time to ensure everything is measured correctly. Our team will also conduct a thorough energy audit of your home to find additional ways to lower your energy use.

Be sure to ask about our convenient financing options designed to make it easy for you to create your dream home.

Furnace Repairs

Odd-sounding noises, a spike in energy bills, or constant cycling—these signs indicate a problem with your furnace. Don’t wait for a minor issue to turn into a costly problem. Give us a call today if you detect a problem with your HVAC system. We promise never to replace a part unless necessary—or if we can demonstrate significant cost savings.

Furnace Maintenance

Want to get the most value from your HVAC system? Develop a preventative maintenance plan. Doing so can rejuvenate your equipment, increase your comfort, and lower your operating costs.

Give us a call today and ask about our customized Stout's Preventative Maintenance Plan Agreement tailored to fit your budget and needs. Enjoy peace of mind knowing a trusted professional is watching over your HVAC equipment.

Call Us Today

Our entire team at Stout Heating & Air Conditioning values the trust you placed in our company—we promise to work extra hard to keep your business. Let us install your next furnace. Give our Salisbury, NC, office a call today for a free consultation. Call us at 704-633-8095 or request service online today.

Need Furnace Service?

Contact the experts at Stout Heating & Air Conditioning.

Call us at 704-633-8095!

“I don’t remember the names of the two technicians who installed our new unit but they did a great job. They were on time and very professional. They relit all our gas appliance pilot lights and showed us how to use the new thermostat. After finishing, everything was cleaned up and taken away. Brett was our estimator and was very helpful.”
- Eric N.

“I've been a customer for many years and have referred neighbors. I've always had courteous and swift service. Mike L. is a lifesaver and is the absolute best. Alex and Jeremy are great and Anna is always so nice and helpful. I would not use anyone but Stout!”

- Kristin C.

“As always… Stout came through with quality expertise, prompt customer service, and thorough investigation and resolution of the problem! Our heat is now restored, all systems thoroughly checked out, and operating systems explained! That’s why’ve r have been a customer since the 1980s. Your quality of service reputation speaks volumes! We are grateful!”

- Jane W.

“Drew was professional and explained the simple solution to get the heat flowing more efficiently. I will recommend stout and Drew to my friends.”

- Jennifer D.

“As always we are pleased with the service provided by Stout technicians. Drew was a professional, kind, informative and pleasant technician. He was a pleasure to work with.
Thank you Drew.”

- Kathy P.

“Jeremy was very timely after I placed the service call. He was able to free up a stuck fan and get heat for our home. He ordered a new fan to replace the existing one.
In the meantime we’ve got heat on one of the coldest nights of the year. Very much appreciated. Jeremy was very professional and courteous.

Thanks!”

- Tony N.

“After hours call on one of the coldest nights of the year!! Drew was here in 20 minutes – diagnosed the problem and replaced the bad part all within an hour! Quickly got us and our pets warm again!! We can always count on Stout!! Thank you!!”

- Toby G.

“On time. Put on shoe covers before entering house. Took photos of inside and out of furnace. Explained his findings and answered all our questions. Personable and easy to talk to didn’t act like he was in a rush to get to next call but made sure we had all the information we needed.”

- Mike F.