Service Heat & Air, Inc.

WHAT IS THE ADVANTAGE OF TWO-STAGE HEATING?

It is now possible for your home to be cozier than ever while saving you money on your energy bill in the process.

WHAT IS TWO-STAGE HEATING?

Do you sometimes find it challenging to obtain the ideal temperature within your home during the winter months? First, it’s cold so you turn up the thermostat which starts the furnace; then it’s so hot you turn it down again.

Traditional furnaces are designed to heat your home, and keep you warm during the coldest weather in your climate, therefore, they operate at one level — high; however, even during winter, temperatures fluctuate and many winter days can be somewhat mild.

Unlike traditional furnaces that turn on and run at full capacity with each demand for heating, two-stage furnaces operate like two separate furnaces to maintain more consistent comfort in your home. The unit starts out running in its first stage, and operates at about 68% of its heating capacity. This reduced capacity is sufficient to warm your home on mild winter days. But when the temperature outside really drops, the furnace adjusts to full capacity (second stage) to meet the demand for heat within the home. It’s kind of like having two furnaces for the price of one. With two-stage heating you won’t have to keep adjusting the thermostat.

WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES OF TWO-STAGE HEATING?

CONSISTENT COMFORT Thanks to two-stage technology, the temperature inside your home should vary only a few degrees versus the larger temperature swings that are common with traditional furnaces.

QUIET COMFORT Quiet Comfort: Because a two-stage furnace starts in its first stage, when the level and amount of heat required is lower, and runs in this stage the majority of the time, it greatly reduces the noise associated with furnaces that turn on and run full blast. Two-stage technology means quiet comfort.

IMPROVED AIR FILTRATION A two-stage furnace provides more consistent airflow and with more consistent airflow comes improved air filtration, which means you’ll breathe easier with two-stage heating.

EFFICIENT OPERATION Because the furnace spends the majority of its time operating in its lower capacity, first stage, it burns less fuel than a traditional furnace that always runs at full capacity and then shuts off when heating demand is met.

IS A TWO-STAGE FURNACE RIGHT FOR ME?

Ask yourself these questions: How much time do you and your family spend inside your home? Did you take time and care to pick furniture, appliances, and other items that met your lifestyle and made you feel comfortable? Then why wouldn’t you do the same thing with your heating equipment?

Although you can’t see the air and temperature within your home you certainly can feel it. It affects you every day. A two-stage furnace can provide preferred comfort within your home despite the range of weather outside your home. If you want and expect high-level performance from your heating equipment then a two-stage furnace is the right choice for you!

WHY SHOULD I CHOSE A VARIABLE SPEED FURNACE AND/OR AIR CONDITIONER FOR MY HOME?

There are many reasons for choosing a variable speed furnace, but the main reason is comfort. The term “variable speed” refers to the furnace’s fan motor, which moves at different speeds to precisely control the flow of heated and cooled air throughout your home. Better airflow control means a better balance of temperature and humidity.

HOW IT WORKS

For any furnace, providing maximum comfort means achieving the proper amount of airflow. This is true for both heating and cooling operation.

Unlike conventional single speed motors, a variable speed motor runs at a wide range of speeds. Using intelligent technology, it continually monitors incoming data from your heating and cooling system, and it automatically makes the adjustments necessary to meet your comfort needs. It varies the amount of air circulated, compensating for factors like dirty filters by increasing speed. Put simply, it delivers just the right amount of air for the right level of heating and cooling comfort.

As an added bonus, a variable speed motor gradually ramps up to full speed. This eliminates the sudden, noisy blast of air that’s associated with standard furnace motors. And, during cooling operation, it allows the air conditioner to remove more moisture from the air.

MORE COMFORT AND EFFICIENCY WITH LESS SOUND

MORE EFFICIENCY Compared to a conventional single-speed furnace, a variable speed furnace performs better and uses about two-thirds less electricity. During cooling operation, variable speed technology typically results in an efficiency gain of about 1 SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio). The higher the SEER, the lower your utility bills.

LESS SOUND A variable speed furnace also ensures quieter operation. The furnace slowly ramps up to speed, so there’s no sudden “kick” or blast of air at startup.

BETTER INDOOR AIR QUALITY

CLEANER AIR In addition to delivering quiet, consistent comfort and efficiency, a variable speed furnace can also help clean the air in your home. When the furnace is not heating or cooling and the fan is in constant operation (indicated by the “Fan” setting on your thermostat), a variable speed furnace will continue to slowly and inexpensively circulate air throughout your home. This allows your filters to capture more contaminants (because air is constantly passing through them), so you can breathe easier.

ENCHANCED HUMIDITY CONTROL When moisture levels are high, there’s a higher potential for mold and other pollutant problems. Compared to a single-speed furnace, a variable speed furnace is more effective at drawing moisture from the air for improved indoor air quality and comfort.