Are you in the market for a new Furnace for your home in North County? If you’ve come across variable-speed furnace systems, you probably wonder whether the multi-stage, multi-speed operation is worth the investment.

At Sherlock Plumbing, Heating & Air, we highly recommend variable-speed furnaces for homeowners who want greater control over their monthly utility bills and comfort.

Understanding Variable-Speed Furnace Systems

Variable-speed furnaces operate at different speeds, which gives you significant control over your monthly utility usage. In addition, operating at different speeds allows you to heat your home differently throughout the day. Thus, the blower motor runs less when it’s warm, runs more when it’s cold, and significantly reduces energy waste in the process. 

This furnace option is also automatic and does not require you to make constant adjustments. This ensures you have more balanced heating throughout the day. Variable-speed blowers can operate in furnaces, air conditioners, or heat pumps.

These systems utilize an ECM (electronically commutated motor) that operates more efficiently than standard blower motors. This is ideal in Southern California where our winters are typically mild and don’t require operating the furnace at full capacity.

Energy Savings You Can Count On

Standard furnace blowers utilize considerable energy when they kick on and aim for the desired thermostat setting. If you have a traditional single-speed blower motor, your furnace could short-cycle during cold weather.

This process of starting and stopping to achieve the desired temperature, followed by a period of inactivity, will use considerable energy during the starts/stops of the cycle. Conversely, a variable-speed furnace blower will operate continuously at a lower level. This avoids the starts and stops that waste energy. 

Variable-Speed Blowers & Indoor Air Quality

The smooth and continuous operation of a variable-speed blower facilitates improved air filtration. As the air blows through your filter and/or air purification systems, you will remove more dust, debris, pollen, and other indoor air pollutants from your home. Further, a variable-speed blower provides superior whole-house humidity control. This will help improve your comfort and make it easier to breathe throughout the year.

Upgrading to a Variable-Speed Furnace

“Should I upgrade to a variable-speed furnace?” is one of the most common questions we receive, and the answer is “it depends.”

If your system is relatively new and already operating energy-efficiently, it’s probably not necessary because the amount of energy you’ll save will be negligible. However, if you have an older system that’s nearing the end of its operational lifespan, then upgrading to a variable-speed furnace is a sound investment in your future comfort.

Variable-Speed Furnaces Pair With Smart Home Systems

Variable-speed furnaces are perfectly paired with smart home systems in Southern California. You can control your furnace through voice controls, manage your system operation while you are away, and monitor temperature and performance each month. This will help as you seek to identify better ways to save energy and improve the energy-efficient operation of your furnace.

This all adds up to enhanced comfort, greater energy savings, and a reduced, eco-friendly environmental footprint. It’s a win all around for homeowners who install variable-speed furnaces in their San Diego-area homes.

We invite you to contact the team at Sherlock Plumbing, Heating & Air at 760-295-5014 to learn more about variable-speed furnaces. It is our pleasure to answer your questions and help you determine which furnace is ideally suited for your needs.