Can you relate to my friend Sarah?
Sarah is a diligent homeowner who carefully maintains her beautiful Victorian-style house in the heart of Boston. Last Spring, her furnace started acting up. It would start, sputter, and then shut off.
While that wasn’t a big deal for the last bits of April, she doesn’t want her family shivering in the cold this winter. Initial repair attempts have been costly. She knows it’s only a matter of time before the furnace completely gives up.
The thought of replacing her furnace is anxiety-inducing. The cost is significant, and the disruption of the installation process isn’t exactly a selling point. She knows a new furnace could provide her family with a more comfortable and energy-efficient home. But where to begin?
Let’s start with what has changed since the last time her home got a new furnace — 15 years ago, about five years before she moved in.
Modern Furnaces are Different, Because We’re Different
Figuring out how to create fire was one of the first things early proto-humans did, enabling them not just to cook food, but also to survive frigid winters. It would seem like the technology around “making heat” wouldn’t have changed so much since then, especially in the modern era. But it has!
We have different needs and ideas than we did fifteen years ago. Common concerns include:
- Energy efficiency. Everything is more expensive now, spending less on heating and cooling every month sounds like a no brainer.
- Comfort. We’ve discovered that we are individuals with different ideas about what temperature we’re comfortable at and how much humidity we want.
- Indoor air quality. While most often discussed in terms of allergies or the pollution that comes from burning things for heat, our health has become part of our decision-making process.
Manufacturers and modern installers of heating and cooling systems like Home Mechanics are on it, and now we have so many better options, worthy of upgrade consideration.
No Longer “On or Off”
Until recently, our heating systems were either on or off. All of the components which consume energy and generate/move heat around were either on full blast or off. This leads to frequent cycling and constantly going back and forth from “a little too cold” to “a little too warm.”
A big advancement in heating and cooling systems has been the introduction of stepping critical parts of the system up or down, instead of merely on or off.
Variable speed motors. Instead of motors simply being on or off, running at full speed whenever they’re running, a variable speed motor can use less energy when it doesn’t need to create as much heat — especially when the thermostat says the indoor temps are currently close to the desired temp.
Variable speed motors have another perk… they’re quieter compared to single-speed motors. This means they make less noise when they turn on, possibly disrupting your sleep less.
Modulated burning. A similar concept, the burners in furnaces no longer come with “on or off” settings, but also can adjust the flame height based on how much heating is needed. As they get close to the desired temp they cut back on how high they’re burning, avoiding increasing the temperature past what’s comfortable.
Smart Technology
Many of us are familiar with “smart” thermostats which are programmable: set the winter heat lower while you’re not home during the day and crank it up to keep everyone warm in the evenings. Sick days, erratic weather, and work-from-home situations make a programmable thermostat less of an asset. The solution is control at the touch of a button — particularly on your phone.
These days we expect to control everything from our phones, including getting reminders from the system about when it’s time for maintenance, and when the system is using too much energy. We’re busy and keeping a watchful eye over our HVAC systems is challenging, so these tools help us prolong the lifespan of our investments.
Health & Comfort
Fifteen years ago, most of us had never considered the phrase “indoor air quality.” Since then we’ve learned that homes with poor air circulation pose a hidden health risk in the form of indoor air pollution, causing asthma and even cancer.
New systems have upgraded filtration built into the equipment, in addition to air filters you can change quarterly (or even more often if you have severe allergies or asthma).
Systems now also come with dehumidification options built in, because we know excess moisture causes mold to grow indoors.
But we don’t just think differently about our health and our home environment, we also think more about our comfort. In an era where athleisure wear is a thing, you know we just want to be comfortable at home.
Personalized settings for each person in the family in each room — available with ductless mini-splits — are an amazing addition to our heating and cooling universe.
Ductwork
My air conditioner was on the fritz this summer and I had a technician come out to diagnose the problem. It turned out that the problem was in the attic and was due to too much condensation (it has been super hot and humid this year). While he was up there, he noticed our ductwork is a mess.
When I showed the photos of the ducting near our bedroom to my husband, the response was disbelief — how could there be such a big gash if our bedroom still gets cold? The answer is that even with holes, ducts deliver heat and cold… albeit significantly less efficiently.
Fortunately there have been significant advances in ductwork since my home was built 20 years ago in 2005. Here are a few of them, which might make replacing your ductwork worth considering…
Tight-Seal Technology: Modern ductwork often incorporates tight-seal technology to minimize air leaks, reducing energy loss and improving heating and cooling efficiency.
Insulated Ductwork: Insulated ductwork helps prevent energy loss by reducing heat transfer between the ducts and the surrounding environment. This can significantly improve the overall efficiency of your HVAC system.
Duct Sealing: Advanced duct sealing techniques can help identify and seal air leaks in existing ductwork, improving energy efficiency and reducing energy costs. This is more of a repair option than a replacement option.
Did you know you could skip the ductwork and jump right to ductless heating and cooling? Get variable speed motors, improved air filtration, room by room temperature control, and skip the ductwork with a ductless mini-split heat pump!
So… Repair or Replace That Old Furnace?
As you can see, there are a lot of good reasons to make the leap to a newer heating system, but if you’re still on the fence, consider these common problems from older furnaces.
If you’ve read through those issues and considered your replacement options, but still don’t feel ready to replace it all, consider a hybrid heating solution.
Extend the life of your existing system a bit longer and make your home more comfortable at the same time by installing a heat pump and ductless mini-split system in rooms where you need it most. You can take advantage of rebates and other incentives that are available now, and decide when you’re ready to go all in on the heat pump trend.
The Home Mechanics Experience
Quality workmanship: Every member of our team works hard to make sure each install goes according to plan.
“The whole process with Home Mechanics exceeded expectations. Installers were prompt, polite, clean, and did a great job. Communication with Carolyn from the the office was flawless. I almost went with another contractor but commumnication was poor, price was vague and higher, and I felt like they were selling me a car. Highly recommend Home Mechanics!!” — Bob Foley
“This was the easiest and honest company I ever dealt with . Matt bonagura was the best he came and gave my a quote. He was honest and upfront. After he gave me a quote he answered every phone call and answered every question I had. Noel is the owner he is upfront and honest also. Carolyn was great to deal with she was pleasant on every phone call. The crew that installed my unit was professional and there work was impeccable. From start to finish this company was the best company I ever dealt with... highly recommend AAAA+” — Tommy Henderson
Customer satisfaction: Our Google rating is 5 stars from more than 30 reviews provided by clients. Here’s one recent example:
“I was extremely pleased with this company. The customer service was able to answer all of my questions with clear explanations and made the process easier than I anticipated. The installation team was very professional and worked diligently through extreme weather conditions to finish my whole home project in a timely manner. I highly recommend them !” — Lisa Silva
Financing options: We’ll help you get the most out of Mass Save energy incentives and federal tax credits you may be eligible for.
“Home Mechanics installed mini-split heat pumps in my apartment. They were very professional in every way. Carolyn Cutting helped me apply for the incentives and answered any questions. I highly recommend this firm.” — Kathy Modigliani
“Great company to do business with. On time professional. All work was performed as expected and job site was left immaculate. Guided us thru the process of rebates and no interest loans with ease.” — Michael Swansey
Before you do anything, get a no-cost Home Energy Assessment courtesy of Mass Save. These approved home energy contractors will come out and identify all of the places your home is wasting energy.
They will introduce you to new ways of conserving energy at home — including ductless heat pumps and mini-splits — because Mass Save offers big rebates when you replace old school central AC with modern low-energy alternatives in Massachusetts.