A good furnace in Ottawa is a must, with our hearty winter conditions stretching up to six months or more of heating.
And with our humid summers, Ottawa air conditioners are pretty much a necessity nowadays.
“How do I buy a furnace or air conditioner in Ottawa?” That’s a question we’re frequently asked. Let’s find out in this edition of the Advanced HVAC Blog.
Is a Home Visit Needed for a New Ottawa Furnace or AC Unit?
“Do I really need a salesperson to come by?”
The simple answer is yes, you should set up an appointment and have someone that knows what they’re doing scope out the job!
That’s the first step to ensuring that you’re getting a quality furnace or air conditioner in Ottawa – and getting a good value at that.
This is a HUGE decision, buying a furnace in Ottawa (or an air conditioning system), one which will alter the way your home is heated and cooled for well over a decade.
It shouldn’t be rushed, discussed over a few emails or negotiated down to be the cheapest quote. There’s a famous saying in the Ottawa heating and cooling trade: “Ff your quote is the cheapest, chances are you’ve missed something!”
“I just need the same thing I have now but newer, right?”
Not exactly, no.
It’s a little more complicated than that, because modern high-efficiency equipment heats and cools the home differently than previous systems.
Buying a furnace in Ottawa is never as simple as swapping an 80,000 BTU furnace with another one. Especially if this is the first time your Ottawa home needs a new furnace.
To cut down on costs, Ottawa home builders buy in bulk. For example, they may buy 100 “small” and 100 “large” furnaces, instead of a few of varying sizes.
I’ve seen homes that needed a 40,000 BTU furnace, but the builder put in an 80,000! This is more common than people think. The size of furnace you have now is just one clue of many that can help us size the system properly.
“It’s about square footage, right?”
A common scenario with Ottawa furnaces goes something like, “My neighbour got a 60,000 BTU furnace, so that’s what I need, right?”
No, no, and no. Sizing out your Ottawa furnace or air conditioner properly relies on a number of factors. No two houses are the same.
- Does your street have a bend?
- Are there homes facing different ways on your street?
- Does that cold west wind hit a bunch of windows, or a brick wall?
- Is the hot afternoon sun coming right into your master bedroom and kitchen?
The direction the house faces, and amount of shade offered is another huge factor. In the winter, do you want it to be 19 or 22 degrees? What’s your target temp in the summer? These questions and others will help you narrow down the right furnace or AC in Ottawa, a climate that is highly diverse and not without its challenges to be sure.
“But, I have no heat RIGHT NOW!”
That’s a more immediate challenge, granted.
No worries, we’ll bring over heaters!
There are so many factors at play here, but unfortunately many people’s furnaces break down during our winter and the sense of urgency leads to simple, rushed decisions that can often lead to the wrong furnace for their home.
It may be uncomfortable, but we do have the resources to get you back up and running. With some well-placed space heaters, quick estimates, and crews ready to go, we take the stress from a January furnace breakdown and turn it into a smart decision for right now and for many winters to come.
Why call Advanced HVAC?
I get it. You don’t want a cheesy salesperson in your home pushing you on the big-ticket items, and yes, there are companies who do that.
At Advanced HVAC, we pride ourselves on NOT doing that. We like to form unbiased recommendations for every household budget, and can go into as much detail as necessary, whether it be none, or an awful lot, to help you make the right decision.
This purchase really does affect the feel of your home for many, many years to come. We at Advanced HVAC, would be more than happy to help guide you through this process!
Contact us today to get started on your new Ottawa furnace or air conditioner.
