If you are considering buying a new furnace, chances are it has been well over a decade since you last purchased a system. Let’s face it, making big decisions is not easy, especially decisions that you only have to make a couple times in a lifetime. That is why we aim to answer all of your questions. And even the questions that you might not know you should ask. Our goal at Vincent’s is to make the purchase of your new furnace as stress-free as possible.
Part of making the purchase process as stress-free as possible is giving a free evaluation of your system. And not only that, but the person we send to your home will be an HVAC technician who works in the field, not a professional salesperson.
Lifetime Installed Right Guarantee
We pride ourselves on our craftsmanship. And we stand behind our work. That is why if there are any problems with your system caused by poor workmanship on the installation, we will cover it no matter if your system is 1 year old or 12 years old.
100% Satisfaction Guarantee
We are so sure that you will be satisfied with your new system that we have this guarantee to back it up. “If at any time during the first year of installation, you are not 100% satisfied with the performance of the equipment, our service or even our people, we will, within 30 days of your request, remove the system and cheerfully refund the entire amount of the contract.”
Follow Up Visit
We perform a checkup, usually within a week of the installation, to make sure that you are happy and to make sure that we delivered everything we said we would. If the AC is installed in colder months, we will do a complimentary visit in the Spring to start the unit up.
Permits and Licensing
We take care of pulling all required permits for us to complete the job within your municipality. We are a fully licensed mechanical contractor.
Chances are that if you are looking at this page, you are thinking about replacing your furnace soon. There are many good reasons why to consider upgrading your system. For instance, newer systems have more safety features than older systems and offer savings on your energy bills. However, while energy savings may be nice, installing a new furnace puts a big dent on the checkbook. To help you decide whether installing now or waiting is right for you, we have put together a few of the reasons we see that customers choose to replace now instead of postponing an installation.
Your Furnace is 18+ Years Old
A lot of people wonder how long furnaces should last. While no one really knows how long furnaces SHOULD last, what we can say is that, over the past 12 months, we have tracked the age of the furnaces we pulled out of people’s homes. Over that timeframe the average furnace we replaced was 18.6 years old. Furnaces accumulate a lot of wear and tear in one calendar year. Some people think that their furnace gets a break in the summer, but actually, if you use AC, your furnace blower is pushing the air around your home when the AC is used. Once furnaces get past the 18-year mark, they are at a much higher risk of having big, costly breakdowns. Especially if the system has not been maintained on a yearly basis.
You Have An 80% Efficient Furnace
If your furnace has metal exhaust vent, you have an 80% (or lower) furnace. That means that you have the most to gain by upgrading to a high efficiency system. Besides the monthly energy savings that you can attain just by having a higher efficiency system, there are currently utility rebates and even tax credits available for certain systems.
You Are Close to Retirement
Replacing your furnace can be a big expense, and more often than not, it is unexpected. And when someone is on a fixed income, it can be an even bigger expense proportionally to income. That is why a prudent strategy would be to plan on replacing your HVAC system, or at the very least, having your furnace and air evaluated by a professional within a year or two of your planned retirement. Unless you are planning to move immediately after your retirement, you could be saving yourself a big headache down the road.
You Will Live In Your Existing Home For At Least 5 Years
The best-case scenario for upgrading a furnace is knowing you will be in a home for at least 5 years. If you plan to upgrade to a higher efficiency system you likely need at least 5 to 10 years in order to recoup the entire investment. However, plans can change, and there is a silver lining even if you end up moving sooner. New HVAC equipment can be a selling feature for a home. And even though it can still be a large investment, it is usually not as big an investment as other features like renovating a kitchen or bathroom.
A Bigger Furnace Will Heat My House Better
An oversized furnace is guaranteed to have problems. One reason is ductwork. The ductwork that we see in most homes is undersized. Ductwork has a maximum capacity of heat it can deliver. If the BTUs a furnace delivers exceeds this capacity, your furnace will overheat, and will also put strain on the blower. Strain on the blower can eventually cause the blower to fail, and overheating for many years can cause a heat exchanger to crack, which is a safety concern due to the risk of carbon monoxide.
Oversizing a system will cause a loss of efficiency too. If the size of a furnace exceeds the maximum capacity of ductwork by 25%, that extra 25% of heat is either going to go out your chimney or cook your equipment.
If you are experiencing comfort issues in certain rooms, it may be better to consider upgrading your home’s ductwork, insulation, or windows instead of increasing the size of your heating equipment.
VHP will calculate the amount of heating demand on your home and also will determine the amount of heat that your ductwork can supply. That way you can have peace of mind that you have the right system for your home.
The Brand Of My Furnace is the Most Important Consideration
No matter what the brand of your Furnace is, if it is not installed properly and is not sized properly for your home, it will not operate correctly. That is why the most critical consideration when purchasing a new furnace or AC system is to have a professional you can trust install your new system. Buying a furnace can be a bit like buying a car. If you buy a car and the dealership is not nearby, it might be very difficult to get service when you need it. It can be the same for furnaces and air conditioning too if you select a brand that does not have a dealer nearby.
Anyone Can Install A Furnace
Just because you can do something, doesn’t mean that you should. While it may be possible for your uncle to install a furnace, if they do not follow mechanical code or manufacturer install procedures correctly, the furnace may not work correctly and may also have a shortened life. It may also not be eligible for warranty coverage if a breakdown occurs if it is not installed by a licensed professional. It is important to make sure that whoever installs a furnace can also service the system if it breaks down. Service companies may not honor warranties on equipment that is sold through a different installer.