Some people mistakenly think that when it comes to buying a furnace, bigger is always better. After all, a bigger furnace means more heat, which means your home will reach its target temperature faster, right? Wrong. In fact, proper furnace sizing is an essential prerequisite to buying a new furnace.

If your furnace is too small, it won’t be able to heat your home properly. It will stay on too long trying to get your home up to the temperature that you want, wasting energy in the meantime and ultimately wearing out the unit faster. But if your furnace is too big, it will cycle on and off repeatedly causing disparate temperatures throughout the house, as well as excess wear and tear on the furnace, which will cause it to break down and shorten its life. You need to get the right size for your house. What size furnace do you need? There are a number of variables to consider.

First of all, how big is your home? This is the most obvious factor. A bigger home requires a larger furnace. The layout of your home is also an issue. Do you have a lot of windows or large glass doors that serve to lose heat in the winter? How about trees in the yard? Planted in the right spots, they can buffer your home from the cold.

In addition, you need to consider how well-insulated your home is. A lot of insulation will help to keep the heat in, reducing your necessary furnace size. There’s also air infiltration. How much cold air is able to leak into your home from outside?

There’s a guide for determining how to size a furnace, called Manual J. When you buy a furnace, make sure the contractor uses Manual J to size your system properly.

For help with furnace replacement and furnace sizing, contact Bill Joplin’s Air Conditioning & Heating. We work with homeowners throughout the McKinney, Allen and Frisco area.