Best Gas Furnaces of 2022 – Complete Guide

In extremely cold countries, homes that don’t have a central heating system suffer greatly and aren’t considered very comfortable. A good way to ensure you always have the right temperature in all corners of your house is to install a gas furnace.

Compared to other alternatives like an electrical or an oil furnace, gas units are more affordable in the long run and provide good overall efficiency. Moreover, they tend to have a good shelf life, which saves repair and replacement costs to a high degree. 

In this guide, you will not only find a list of the top products in the market, but you will also find all the relevant information needed to make a wise decision. Things like installation, maintenance, safety, and FAQs have been discussed in detail for your ease. Since there is a lot to cover, let’s get started.

Comparison of the Best Gas Furnaces

How to Choose a Gas Furnace 

Gas furnaces play an essential role in maintaining the comfort of your home. Therefore, you must choose the product after some due consideration. Here are some of the features that you need to look out for if you want your money’s worth.

Life Expectancy

Gas furnaces might seem a tad bit expensive at first, and you might even be inclined to buy a relatively cheaper product. This will often result in you buying a low-quality product. It is, therefore, important that you buy a brand with a high lifetime value. This will produce lower and consistent electricity costs in the long run. Such a brand will also require less frequent maintenance.

Higher AFUE Ratings

This rating is extremely important because it will ensure a more environment-friendly unit that consumes less energy. The rating is the ratio of the amount of fuel used to the amount of heat produced. Any good brand should provide a rating between 80% and 99%. A higher rating also comes with other benefits like good life expectancy, good durability, and lower utility costs.

Warranties

When you look at some products, you might be convinced to buy them even if they don’t offer a good enough warranty. This is never a wise decision because you want to ensure proper repairs and replacements for your product. Most good quality brands offer a 10-year warranty. This is usually provided on faulty or failed parts. Not only that, but this also covers many additional expenses like labor costs needed for fixations.

Performance

The performance and efficiency of gas furnaces depend on their modes of function. You can buy either a single-stage product or a double-stage one. The former is cheaper and offers less efficiency. The double-stage furnace is more likely to provide a much better performance and heating quality, especially in extremely harsh weather.

Review of the Best Gas Furnaces 

Like thousands of people, if you too are frustrated with the sheer amount of choice on the market, then you have certainly come to the right place. We scoured the internet to find you the best gas furnaces, so you don’t have to go through all the trouble. All you have to do now is compare these products against their features and find the right one for yourself.

What Is a Gas Furnace and What Is It Used for?

A gas furnace is a specialized home heating appliance that uses natural gas. These come with burners that contain metal tubes. Natural gas travels through it and is heated. Gas furnaces are popular in areas with extreme winter seasons. These not only make you survive harsh weather conditions but also ensure relatively lower electricity costs. 

Although they are more expensive than electric models, the monthly operating bills are really low, making up for the initial high cost. Once you buy the product, you will have to take care of installation, maintenance, and safety. Regular cleaning will also be required if you want efficient heating for a long time.

How Does a Gas Furnace Work? 

The working of a furnace is pretty simple, and it is due to this simplicity that the cost of maintenance is extremely low. The unit will heat your room through a predetermined heating cycle that takes in natural gas, mostly in the form of propane. This is one of the lightest gases out there and provides good efficiency.  

Propane enters the furnace and is ignited inside the burner. The flames that are produced as a result will heat the metal exhaust and exchanger. The latter then heats the heat entering the unit. This process usually remains consistent and doesn’t take much time.

The furnace’s blower then puts the air forcefully inside the ductwork and then distributes it evenly in your house. As your room gets warmer, all the cold and dense air will move towards the unit, and the same process will be carried out. This provides you with a continuous supply of hot air.

Comparison Overview

Most people, even today, find it hard to choose between a plethora of similar products. The internet is bombarded with unnecessary information that makes it almost impossible to find anything useful. Here, we will summarize all you need to know regarding your favorite products.

Heat Pump vs Gas Furnace

Gas furnaces produce heat, whereas heat pumps have to simply transfer it. This means that the latter is much more efficient in terms of both time and energy consumption. Under the ideal conditions, your heat pump will transfer 300% more energy. On the other hand, a gas furnace would produce only 90% of this energy.

Electric vs Gas Furnace

When comparing the initial costs of the two, you might find an electric furnace to be the cheaper of the two, but that’s pretty much the only edge it has. In the long run, a gas furnace will be more cost-efficient as it ensures lower utility bills. Gas units will also heat your home more quickly than electric units.

Oil vs Gas Furnace

This is a pretty simple comparison because gas furnaces take the lead in almost all major departments here. Where oil units have 80% to 90% AFUE ratings, gas units can have more than 95% rating. The higher rating translates to much higher efficiency. The only downside to this is the relatively high initial cost of the gas products.

High-Efficiency Gas Furnace vs Regular Gas Furnace

The major difference between the two is the efficiency, but this too comes at a cost. Most products with high AFUE will be expensive as compared to the ones with lower ratings. High-efficiency products offer 90% heat production, and regular units provide around 80%. The extra 10% and 20% respectively are expelled as exhaust fumes.

Gas Furnace Safety Tips

Unlike electrical furnaces, gas ones can be slightly dangerous. But this is no cause of alarm. Like with most products, you simply need to take care of a couple of things, and you are good to go. Here are the top safety tips for you to consider. Good attention to these will keep you safe at all times.

Vacuum

Any dust or lint that accumulates will be a hazard, and hence you need to avoid this build-up as much as possible. You can do this by vacuuming inside and around your furnace every once in a while. You can do this either once or twice a month. If you haven’t done this for a long time, then you should call a professional to do it properly. This is to avoid any fire hazard.

Airflow

It is important to remember that without proper fresh air, your furnace cannot work properly. If the air is constricted, then the unit will be forced to consume the oxygen inside your home.

This can cause a lot of damage. To avoid any such thing, make sure your room is properly ventilated. Moreover, you can cater to the issue by clearing any obstructions inside the floor registers.

Overheating

These units aren’t very dangerous normally, but every once in a while, the rods can become hot and cause damage.

It is, therefore, important that children don’t play around gas furnaces. They should be properly taught to avoid any such issue.

Keeping Flammable Items Away

Many items can instantly catch fire when exposed to heat. Thus, you need to keep flammable items far away from your unit. Some people use furnace rooms for different purposes, and if that is the case at your house too, you need to keep the space as organized as possible. Things like old rags, gasoline, paint, wood scraps, and papers should be kept away from the appliance.

What Size Gas Furnace Do I Need?

Getting the right-sized furnace is key to achieving the best possible results. You don’t want to end up with either a very large unit that causes high utility bills or a small appliance that doesn’t heat your room properly. You can keep these things in mind while deciding the size.

Home Size

A 1500 sq. ft. room would require 1.5-2 tons of an appliance. Similarly, an 1800-2500 sq. room would require a much larger unit. You can get either a 2.5 ton or a 3-ton appliance. As you go higher, the size, as well as the cost of your unit, increases.

BTU

This is the British thermal unit, which is used to define the amount of heat necessary to raise the temperature of exactly one pound of water by exactly one degree Fahrenheit. The larger the size of your house, the larger will be the BTU value.

Climate

This is extremely important and often overlooked by potential buyers. You can’t expect a small unit to produce the maximum heat in both Canada and London. So before you decide on the BTU, make sure you check the climate of the place. Very cold areas require appliances with a BTU higher than 60,000.

How to Install a Gas Furnace

Once you have used all the above information to find yourself a good furnace, it is now time to install it. Now, there are a couple of ways to go about it. You can either call a professional or get your unit fixed, or you can follow a few simple steps to do it yourself. In either case, here is what needs to be done.

1. The first step is to find a suitable location for installation. You need to find a large enough space that houses your appliance comfortably. There should also be ample space for ventilation. 
   
   
2. Then you need to decide the exact spot where your ducts and drains will run. The return ducts can be placed on either the sides or the bottom of the gas furnace. This requires a hole to be cut.
   
   
3. Next, decide which side is more appropriate for the condensate drain to run through.
   
   
4. Place your equipment in position and level it with a slight slope that is directed towards the drain exit.
   
   
5. Connect it to the home’s ducting system and make sure you attach any loose ends with either metal foil tape or a duct sealant.
   
   
6. Next, you have to connect the vent pipes by joining the intake and exhaust pipes together. Make sure this is at an angle so that drainage can occur safely.
   
   
7. Check for leaks and ensure that there is adequate room for ventilation and shutoffs.
   
   
8. Connect your unit to a gas and an electric supply. Many units might require just one connection, but that will be specified on the product.
   
   
9. Then you need to connect the condensate drain. This will usually be via a drain hole.
   
   
10. The final step is the most important as it requires you to check all your work. Turn on your furnace and run a complete heating cycle to ensure everything is in order. 
    
    
11. Make sure you give it an hour or two to ensure a proper runtime. If there are any leaks or unchecked drains, make sure you contact a professional and take some guidance.

A much detailed process is explained in this video. Make sure to check it out to clear any ambiguities.

How to Clean a Gas Furnace

The safe and effective running of your gas furnace depends on how frequently and properly you clean it. Contrary to what you think, a gas furnace doesn’t need to be cleaned every other day. You can clean it once or twice a month, and you are good to go. Here is the proper way to achieve your task.

1. The first step is to always switch off the power of the furnace. You can either switch off the electrical power or give the gas valve a swift ¼ turn.
   
   
2. You need to clean the exterior surface of your appliance with a damp rag. You can do this by removing any dirt or debris accumulated on the top.
   
   
3. Remove the door by lifting it in an upward and inward direction. You can also loose screws and remove the burner cover if your product has one.
   
   
4. Then, with the help of a vacuum, clean the interior of the burner and the base of the furnace. You can also use extensions to reach difficult places.
   
   
5. You need to also lift the blower door and then vacuum the insides of the compartment. If there is any soot present, then you need to do a more thorough cleaning. 
   
   
6. Then unscrew the control panel and let it hang. This is only necessary if the panel is blocking the blower. You can also use a ratchet and socket to carefully remove the bolts. 
   
   
7. You need to be gentle and soft while cleaning the blower. You should not disturb any wirings or fan blades. You can even use a small brush to reach the interior section.
   
   
8. Next, clean the igniter and the pilot by blowing off all the accumulated dust with a low-speed vacuum. Remember that a dirty pilot often gives off a false reading.
   
   
9. Then put the flame sensor down carefully and lightly clean it using a cloth. After you are done, inspect the drive belt to see whether it is working perfectly.
   
   
10. Then comes lubrication. You need to clean the oil caps and oil the motor and the shaft bearings. Don’t overdo this step and apply only a few drops.

Once you are done, place everything as it was. If you are still unsure of some of the steps, make sure to check the video given below.

Conclusion 

Gas furnaces proved to be a breath of fresh air when they entered the market. Compared to some older versions, these were more cost-effective and provided greater efficiency. Today, the markets are flooded with all kinds of products. The units vary in terms of sizes, BTU, and AFUE.

To ensure that you get a warm house at all times, you need to invest in the right product. Make sure you check out all the variations of gas furnaces listed above. But before you decide on the right unit, you need to have the proper measurements of your house; the bigger the house, the larger should be your furnace.

People Also Ask

We tried our best to incorporate all important information in the buying guide above, but we understand that people still have many queries when it comes to furnaces. Here is our honest attempt to answer as many of those queries as possible.