#1 Rated Heating in Tucson

Top-Rated Heating Services & How Home Heating Works

At Intelligent Design Air Conditioning, Plumbing, Solar, & Electric we want you to get the most out of our heating services. Your central heating system is either a gas furnace or an electric heat pump. A gas furnace will operate separately from the rest of the HVAC system. On the other hand, a heat pump uses the reverse cycle of the air conditioner. The air handler blower is usually a single-stage in basic systems. Or variable-speed in high-efficiency systems.

However, these components to your heating system must be carefully matched together. Especially during a heater installation. A mismatched system will operate poorly. In some cases, it may not operate at all. Book your heater services today, Click below to get on our schedule.

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Parts of a Heating System

Heat Pumps

If you use only electricity to heat and cool your home, then a heat pump is the most energy-efficient system. In fact, heat pumps provide 3x more heating than the equivalent energy they consume. Heat pumps also do double duty as your home’s air conditioner. Indeed, a high-efficiency heat pump can reduce the amount of electricity you use for heating by as much as 30 to 40%.

Furnace

The standard furnace today operates at 80% efficiency. Thus, for every dollar you spend on gas, 20% is discarded as carbon monoxide and 80% is brought into your home as heat. In colder climates, you can purchase systems at up to 98% gas efficiency.

The Air Ducts

Today, ductwork in homes consists of insulated flexible tubes. They typically snake across the attic floor or under the house. For most people, however, heating ducts are out of sight and out of mind. Thus, we often neglect them. In fact, leaking ductwork is a major energy issue. A recent study by the Arizona Energy Commission concluded that the average home loses up to 30-50% of the hot air. That’s before it ever gets to the rooms where it is needed. As a result, you could be overpaying your utility bills by as much as 30-50%.

AFUE

AFUE stands for Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency. It is the way in which furnaces are rated for comparison. Most furnaces produced are between 80 and 96.6% efficient. However, it’s important to remember that not all units with the same AFUE ratings are equal. The differences become clear when you look closer. Things like construction, quality, reliability, durability, and enhanced warranties affect the efficiency.

Specifically, AFUE is the ratio of the heater’s annual heat output. That is compared to its total annual fossil fuel energy consumed. An AFUE of 90% means that 90% of the energy in the fuel becomes heat for the home. The other 10% escapes up the chimney and elsewhere. AFUE doesn’t include the heat losses of the duct system or piping. Which can be as much as 35% of the energy for output of the heater. When ducts are located in the attic, garage, or other unconditioned space.

An all-electric heater has no flue loss through a chimney. The AFUE rating for an all-electric furnace or boiler is between 95% and 100%. The lower values are for units installed outdoors. Higher electricity costs in most parts of the U.S. makes all-electric heaters a bad choice. If you are interested in electric heating, consider installing a heat pump system.

Blower Speed and Stages

Single-Speed/Single Stage

This is a basic furnace. It is limited in that it only provides a high heat mode. Furnaces are designed so that they are able to heat your home on the coldest days. However, there are only a few days per season when that condition exists. A single-speed furnace does not have the ability to adjust to milder conditions. This causes large temperature swings and a less comfortable home. In addition, this may lead to increased energy usage and system repairs.

Two-Speed/Two Stage

Technology enables a gas furnace to improve indoor air circulation and overall comfort. While also reducing operating noise. It operates at a slower, more consistent level more than 90% of the time. This means lower temperature swings and cold drafts. Which are associated with single-speed furnaces.

Variable-Speed

Variable-speed furnaces feature the best technology. They are also the quietest furnaces in the industry today. The blower motor ramps up gently, quietly and economically. Providing a nearly continuous flow of warm air in a low capacity operation. Maximizing your comfort. In addition, the blower motor uses only 6.5% of the power of a standard furnace blower motor.

Are you in need of heating services? Contact (520) 655-7595 today to get started.