by Stanley Roberts

Created on: October 06, 2008   Last Updated: October 12, 2008

When planning on buying a furnace there are more things to consider than just the cost of the furnace. There are many variables that must be accounted for befor you can even get a price on a furnace for your home. You will need to know the climate zone where your home is located, the square footage of your home, and even your financial resources.

I. CLIMATE: Where your home is located will be the first factor in determining the size of furnace you need to purchase. In a very cold climate you may need more heat than in a mild climate.

II. SIZE OF HOME: Furnace's are rated in BTU's. This is the amount of heat they can produce. You need to know the size of your home in order to size your furnace so that it will provide enough heat to keep you comfortable.

III. FINANCES: This is of course key no matter what you plan to purchase. Furnaces tend to have a wide range of prices from manufacturer to manufacturer and even from dealer to dealer. The larger the furnace, the more environmental friendly, and the cost of energy to operate the unit.

Even though your home may be set up for gas or electric, you an switch if you prefer. You will want to check with your local utility providers about rates and check the history of these rates. It is possible you could save bundles by switching to another type of heat source.

Now that you have the basics it is time to decide on a brand of furnace. There are many to choose from. Carrier, Trane and American Standard are just a few of the major brands.

American Standard seems to be one of the top of the line manufacturers of furnaces. American Standard offers a good warranty on their furnaces and there prices do not vary as much between dealers. Remember though that dealers do get discounts for purchasing in volume so try to haggle the price no matter which brand you choose. It never hurts to ask.

Trane is a well manufactured, top of the line manufacturer as well. Trane will honor their warranty and you will be pleased with the prices they offer. Trane dealers from what I have noticed can vary in their prices greatly. Be sure and shop around no matter what brand you select.

Carrier has been around since the beginning of time I believe. I remember the first furnace and the first heat pump I saw was a Carrier and that was,well 40+ years ago. THey are good units but they tend to be a little more noisy than their counterparts. I am sure as I write there are engineers addressing this issue!

Prices for a furnace can range from a few hundred dollars

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