Furnace Installation near you

Natural Resources Canada advises asking your contractor to calculate your home's heat requirements so the furnace is sized properly. A heat loss calculation takes into account the floor area, insulation levels, windows, air leakage and your local winter design temperature. It matters because many homes have been insulated, re-windowed or sealed since the original furnace went in, so matching the old unit's size often means buying too much furnace.

An oversized furnace heats the house in short, noisy bursts, leaves some rooms warm and others cool, and wears out its parts faster from constant starting. An undersized one runs without stopping on the coldest days and may not keep up. The calculation also shows whether the existing ducts can carry the airflow the new furnace needs.

A furnace's efficiency is expressed as its AFUE, the share of the fuel's energy that ends up as heat in your home over a season. High-efficiency condensing furnaces pull extra heat from the exhaust, which cools it enough to form water; that is why they vent through plastic pipes, often out a side wall, and need a drain for the condensate. ENERGY STAR certified furnaces use less energy than standard models.

The blower matters too. Natural Resources Canada points to high-efficiency blower motors that change speed to meet the home's air distribution needs rather than constantly cycling on and off. They use less electricity, especially if you run the fan continuously for an air exchanger or air cleaner, and they make the airflow quieter.

Gas, propane and oil appliances are regulated by each province, and connecting them is reserved for licensed gas or oil technicians. Depending on where you live, the job may also need a permit from the municipality or the provincial safety authority, and sometimes an inspection before the work is closed up. Ask the installer who is responsible for the permit and keep a copy with your home records.

Gas safety continues after the installer leaves. Make sure there is a working carbon monoxide alarm, ideally in the hallway outside the bedrooms as Health Canada recommends, and keep the area around the furnace free of paint, solvents and stored boxes. If the installation changed where the furnace vents outside, keep the new vent clear of snow all winter.

If your furnace is aging or has needed several repairs, plan the replacement for spring, summer or early fall. Installers are easier to book, you have time to compare quotes and systems, and a day without heat is no hardship. Waiting until the furnace fails in January usually means taking whatever equipment is available and living with space heaters until it is installed.