Furnaces are incredibly useful for comfort, especially when temperatures get into the thirties here in Roseville. These HVAC systems use gas or electricity to warm your homes in different ways. Furnaces are a must-have even in a relatively milder region like Roseville.
When you’re in the market for a new unit, you’re going to have some considerations to make. One consideration some find confusing is furnace staging. There are distinct differences between single-stage, two-stage, and variable-speed furnaces, but these aren’t always apparent. To make things clearer, we have created this guide to help you better understand the differences and make the right choice for your furnace installation.
Single-Stage
Out of the three options, the single-stage furnace is the most binary. This is because a single-stage system only has on and off settings, so the output is always at 100% during operation. This means the single-stage system is not as flexible of an option when you’re looking for a new furnace. Still, these normalize energy consumption, so you know precisely how much heating you’re getting when you turn it on.
With a single-stage furnace, the system generates heat either via gas ignition with a heat exchanger or by passing cool air over electrical heating coils. It uses a single blower to disperse warmed air throughout the home. The warmed air flows through the ducts at a normalized rate, and it can take some time for the home to warm fully.
Benefits of a Single-Stage Furnace
These are very consistent furnace types. The blower turns on and begins the warming process throughout the house. This happens at 100% power, and once the temperature reaches the preset value on the thermostat, it immediately shuts off. Eventually, when temperatures drop off, the thermostat will power up the ignition source again and restart the blower again to bring the temperature up to approved settings.
Outside of consistency, a single-stage heater is very cost-effective, at least from an upfront perspective. These are simply the most affordable options. They are also simple to use; there are no inherent settings to manage on a day-to-day basis, except for the desired temperature level on the thermostat.
Disadvantages of a Single-Stage Furnace
The more complex your home is, the less effective a single-stage furnace will be. These blow a uniform level of heat from the furnace, and because ductwork isn’t a perfect delivery system, the degree of heat generated will be inconsistent.
Some areas will be hot, and others will feel cooler. This isn’t an issue with smaller homes, but once home sizes scale up, inconsistency becomes a problem. Additionally, there’s no nuance with a single-stage furnace. With consistently high output, energy efficiency is much lower with a single-stage system. This is especially true when a unit struggles to warm a larger space or when it operates in an area with wider temperature fluctuations.
Ideal Home for a Single-Stage Unit
As you may have already inferred, these systems work best in smaller homes. When the home is smaller, there will be fewer internal temperature variations since the heat output won’t have to travel through as much ductwork.
Two-Stage
Because of their dual-setting profile, some call two-stage furnaces modulating systems. Unlike single-stage furnaces, dual-stage systems don’t always run at maximum output. Instead, these engage the blowers so that they push a steady stream of warm air out at anywhere between 60% and 70% intensity. This means that these are always on at a lower setting. When there’s a need for more output, a higher output setting kicks on to bring up the heat faster.
Benefits of a Two-Stage Furnace
Efficiency is the major advantage of a two-stage burner. To keep warmer temperatures, these don’t need to output at 100% all the time. Instead, if it fails to reach the optimal temperature, the higher setting automatically switches on. As a result, you’re never running the modulating system at maximum capacity for very long. This reduces utility bills significantly.
Additionally, because the system is always running, there are no off phases. Even when blowing warm air at 60-70% of the output of a single-stage stage system, this output is continuous. As a result, the air heats at a much more even and consistent rate. Due to the slower blower speeds, these are also much quieter furnaces.
Disadvantages of a Two-Stage Furnace
The prime disadvantage of one of these is that they require a larger upfront cost when compared to a single-stage system. However, over time, lower utility prices due to the higher efficiency rating will absorb the price differences.
Ideal Home for a Two-Stage Unit
Despite the fact that single-stage furnaces are best for smaller homes, dual-stage furnaces aren’t bad for these types of households either. This is because they still provide a more even temperature level, even if the house is smaller. There’s also the benefit of a quieter operation. Still, for larger homes that have complex room layouts, a dual-stage system, with its more generalized heating profile, is best.
Variable-Speed
A variable-speed furnace uses an electronically commutated motor (ECM), which allows the blower motor to operate at a higher efficiency. With this, different fan speeds are possible throughout the living space. The furnace will optimize the heating and cooling needs of your home and only use full speed when conditions require it. Instead of cycling on when the temperature fluctuates, consistent temperatures move throughout the space. With this, the furnace needs much less energy to function than a single-speed furnace.
Benefits of a Variable-Speed Furnace
These types of furnaces provide precise temperature and humidity control, ensuring that the comfort level in the living space is higher. With this better performance, the unit uses up to two-thirds less energy a month, which can potentially save you quite a bit in a year. Since a variable-speed unit starts up slowly, it has a quiet operation that is not disruptive. With continuous operation, the filters remove more contaminants from the air, improving its quality.
Disadvantages of a Variable-Speed Furnace
The initial cost and installation of a variable-speed model is higher than other systems. In addition, older HVAC systems may have ducts that are not compatible, so replacements will add to the overall cost. The complexity of the system could also mean that maintaining the unit could be costly as well.
Ideal Home for a Variable-Speed Unit
These are the best types of furnaces for larger, more heavily insulated homes. This is because drafty homes will cause the furnace to operate at higher capacities. This will effectively counteract the advantages of this type of furnace.
Seek Out Professionals for Your Furnace Needs
No matter the furnace type you select, finding the right installation and maintenance company is critical. Environmental Heating & Air Solutions‘s local heating services pros have served the Roseville area for decades, and we understand HVAC systems. We also specialize in plumbing, air quality, home automation, and home cooling. If you’re wondering where to start, give us a call today, and we’ll set up a consultation that will help you decide between single-, dual-, or variable-stage furnaces!
