Most often, we don’t think about our furnaces until they break. They don’t even cross our minds. We’re just so desperate to get out of the cold that we fumble for our keys, stamp the snow from our boots and dash into the warmth without giving any thought to where it comes from.

Furnaces are essential to every Anchorage home. They’re what enable us to live up here, winter after winter, and they help us live happily without having to constantly chop wood or fix frozen pipes. It’s important they’re well-maintained (and replaced before they reach the end of the road).

There’s nothing worse than having a furnace sputter and die during the first snowstorm of the winter! Fortunately, our team of highly-experienced technicians can quickly assess your furnace for major and minor problems and either take care of the necessary repairs or see that you get a new one installed.

Ready to discuss your options? Contact us today.

Types of Furnaces

The first step to replacing a furnace is to figure out which type is best for your home. This will depend on a range of factors – for example, do you live alone or with a family? What’s the best source of energy available to you? Are you looking to cut down on utility costs?

There are four main types:

1. Natural gas. These prioritize efficiency and are a highly economical choice for your home.
2. Oil. These are slightly less efficient than gas, but the upfront cost can be much lower.
3. Electric. These are the cheapest, easiest to install and often the longest-lasting. However, they are much more expensive to run as electricity costs much more than gas.
4. Propane. These are typically found in parts of the U.S. where there is no oil or gas.

We recommend forced-air furnaces, which essentially use a blower to push air through the heat source. We’re proud to be a Lennox Premier Dealer. Lennox has been at the forefront of residential heating and cooling for more than 100 years, and it provides high-quality furnaces that include all the latest technology to maximize comfort and efficiency.

Want to learn more? Click here to view our products.

How to Choose a New Furnace

Price is important, but it’s not the only factor that should influence your decision.

The most important thing, when choosing a new furnace, it to make sure it’s the right size for your home. Lots of factors play into this, including the number of rooms, number of doors and windows, ceiling height and local climate. You’ll see many furnaces refer to something called BTUs. This refers to British Thermal Units, which is a way to quantify output.

The higher the number, the more powerful the furnace.

It’s always worth asking for a professional opinion before purchasing a product that keep your home comfortable for the next 15 or so years. A qualified HVAC technician will be able to talk you through the pros and cons of each model to make sure you get the most efficient and effective model.

Looking for some expert help? Our technicians can talk you through the options.

Main Causes of Furnace Problems

If your furnace has stopped working, or it isn’t heating your home as it should, there could be a few different problems. The best thing to do is call your HVAC service immediately. When we receive this type of call, we run a 21-point inspection to identify the issue and fix it.

The most common issues we face include heat exchanger cracks, blocked or congested airflow and insufficient gas pressure. We thoroughly inspect each element and perform safety checks of control limits, the igniter, the sensor, the hot surface igniter and the flame rollout switches.

Regular maintenance is the key to prolonging the life of your furnace and saving on the cost of major repairs, because they’ll make sure you recognize and remedy problems before they become serious.

If you’re in doubt about anything to do with your furnace, please call an expert. Our fleet of service trucks and technicians are ready to respond to routine and emergency situations 24 hours a day.

Have questions about furnaces? Contact us to arrange an inspection.