To Furnace buying guide: Find the best furnace for your home

You need to think about your ductwork, vents and more when considering buying a new furnace, too.

Getty Images Supporting structures and hidden costs: Chimneys, ductwork, vents and whole house humidifiers Ductwork

Your furnace needs ductwork to transfer heat into your home. If you live in a newer home, your home's ductwork is likely already well taken care of. However, you will still want to have a licensed HVAC technician come to your home and test your home's ductwork system. It may or may not be able to handle a furnace with greater blowing power. 

If you have been having issues with an older furnace, it's possible your ductwork may be to blame. The technician will be able to tell you if the ductwork was properly installed, or if there are any leaks or blockages. If there are any damages to your ductwork, it's unlikely you will need to get the entire system replaced. Instead, you may be able to get by with just replacing the damaged portions. 

Chimney

Chimneys aren't just for fireplaces. They can also dispel gasses from a hot water heater or furnace. If you purchase a high efficiency furnace, it's possible you won't even need a chimney at all. However, if not, you'll want to get your chimney inspected before getting your new furnace installed. Thereafter, you will need to get it cleaned once a year. 

Vents

We're not referring to the air registers in each of your rooms that you can open or close. Instead, we're referring to the vents that direct flue gases to the outside of your home. If you change the type of furnace you use, you may need to replace your vents. Propane, oil and natural gas all burn a little differently, so the material used in your outdoor vents may not be strong enough to handle new temperatures. 

Humidifiers

Furnaces dry out the air in a house, which isn't a good thing during the cold and flu season. Sinus infections can result from breathing too much dry air. To combat this, many homeowners opt to install furnace humidifiers. The cost of a furnace humidifier varies a lot depending on which make and model you choose. You can spend as little as $200 to as much as $1,600. Putting a single humidifier in each room is also a valid option. 

Which one is right for you?

The best thing you can do for yourself is to have a licensed HVAC technician come out to your home. Once there, they can address your concerns about your old heating system, as well as give you their professional opinion about the best type of furnace for your home. While there, you may also want to speak to them about your cooling system, too. Window units are often the best choice, but sometimes there is room for an upgrade.

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