Where a home is in an area with significant cold in the winter season, a two-stage furnace can really be the better choice than a traditional generic choice. The two-stage provides unique advantages for a homeowner, especially when it comes to keeping the distribution of heat even throughout the home versus just those rooms closes to the heating source in terms of ductwork distance.
The Dual Layer Approach
With a standard heating system, there is one layer of heat response. The sensors indicate when a home temperature has dropped below a trigger point, and the heating kicks on to push out warm air into every room connected until the house temperature rises again. Once the system has reached a few degrees above the trigger point, then it shuts off and the cycle begins again when the minimum trigger is reached with cooling. This standard approach provides heat but it can be inefficient or weak during very cold days or nights, running constantly to stay above the minimum trigger. That can strain a furnace and possibly lead to a breakdown in an older unit.
A two-stage furnace operates with the same normal heating approach above and a different, second layer that responds during serious cold windows. The second phase only kicks in during an extreme period, but it’s enough to heat the home adequately when really cold outside and avoid the need for constant running that can strain the equipment. By controlling the workload on the furnace, it runs well within optimum levels and breakdowns are unlikely. In the meantime, the single stage furnace may be struggling after a few days of constant running.
Advantages of a Two-Stage
The benefits of two-stage furnaces include a consistent cycle performance, as noted above, which provides a consistent temperature in a home as well as protects the heating equipment.
The efficiency of the system runs smoother and provides better value for the homeowner on a utility bill. Instead of running constantly, the system is allowed to cycle and refresh, avoiding an extreme draw down of natural gas or heating oil to keep the house warm. Instead, the two stage runs sufficiently enough to warm the home and then goes into holding pattern mode until needed again. This consumes less fuel and avoids temperature fluctuations.
The noise from a furnace operating can be noticeable, especially when it turns on. With a constantly running system, the home is going to always have some level of disturbance going on during extreme days and nights. With a two-stage, on the other hand, the shut-down phase stops the activities and allows for quiet again. This results in less disturbed sleep and discomfort.
The two-stage system has higher filtration by design. That means the air that flows through it is cleaner and easier to breathe, especially for those with allergy sensitivities or health concerns. With a dual pass, more contaminants are caught and trapped in the filtration protection, and the air that blows into the houserooms tends to be cleaner than from a standard furnace.
A Two-Stage Is Worth Consideration in Cold Country
If your home regularly sees cold days that get below 20 degrees outside, a two-stage furnace should be on the short list for a heating upgrade if your home is ready for one. They simply provide a better performance and response to extreme cold days, and that’s been proven in states where deep cold is commonplace. Otherwise, a homeowner can easily expect that an older standard furnace is going to struggle and probably break down during the coldest part of winter when it has too much ongoing operating stress.