Gas Furnaces
Are you thinking about upgrading your furnace but not quite sure where to begin?
We understand. Furnaces are more efficient than ever, with a plethora of features designed to keep you comfortable. They come in different sizes and shapes, some more powerful than others. They also have different price points based on their efficiency ratings.
The thermostat is the brains of your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system. But it’s the furnace that provides all the muscle, teaming up with your ductwork to send warm air throughout your Michigan home.
And always remember, a happy home is a warm one! It would only take a few cold days in a row with no indoor heat for all the pipes in your home to freeze.
What matters most is to pick the right furnace that fits your budget and the size of your home. Our team at Kapala Heating & Air Conditioning has the knowledge and expertise to help you make that choice. We’re a trusted name in Lapeer, MI, for creating healthy homes. Give us a call today—we can schedule a free consultation to help with your next home improvement project.
Choosing the Right Furnace by Fuel Type
Your first decision is easy: choosing the fuel type.
The most common source is natural gas. Your local utility company supplies fuel to your home through an underground gas line. The price of natural gas is relatively stable, so you don’t have to worry about cost fluctuations. Plus, you never need to worry about storage.
- If you have access to a natural gas line, we strongly recommend a gas furnace. These furnaces have proven their value over the years for providing steady comfort on the coldest of days.
- Oil furnaces are a popular alternative in the United States, particularly in parts of the Northeast that do not have easy access to natural gas. These types of furnaces last longer than gas furnaces but do not operate as efficiently. Oil prices fluctuate more than natural gas prices, making it harder to gauge your monthly expenses. Plus, you will need a storage tank for the oil.
- Electric furnaces tend to last longer than gas furnaces and cost less to install. On the other hand, they are more expensive to operate and take longer to heat your home. Anyone living in a cold climate would enjoy more comfort with a gas or oil furnace.
Choosing the Right Furnace Speed
Furnaces run at different speeds. The operating speed you choose will impact your comfort, budget, and indoor air quality (IAQ).
Single-stage furnaces have just two settings, on or off. Your furnace switches on and continues to run to reach the desired temperature. Once it reaches the temperature, the furnace turns off. Single-stage furnaces are the most affordable models and easiest to install. But they are the least efficient and tend to create hot and cold spots in larger homes.
Two-stage furnaces run at full speed and half speed. This allows your furnace to heat your home more evenly, producing a more consistent temperature from room to room. In addition to producing better heating, the half-speed setting is much quieter.
Variable-speed furnaces are the gold standard of the heating world. These models adjust their speeds to provide precise comfort. They run longer at slower speeds, improving efficiencies while lowering your energy bills. Because they do not frequently cycle on and off, these systems tend to have fewer breakdowns.
Variable-speed furnaces are much more adept in maintaining your indoor air quality, catching harmful particles, and eliminating excess moisture that causes mold growth. Larger homes benefit tremendously from variable-speed furnaces.
Choosing an Efficient Furnace
The AFUE (annual fuel utilization efficiency) rating on your furnace indicates how much energy it converts. An energy-efficient furnace with an AFUE rating of 95 can convert 95 percent of the energy it consumes into heat.
The higher the AFUE rating, the more money you save on monthly utility bills. Energy-efficient furnaces emit fewer greenhouse gases and make less noise when they operate. If you want to reduce your home’s carbon footprint, the perfect place to start is with your heating and cooling equipment!
How Much Money Can a New Furnace Save You?
Our AFUE energy savings calculator can help determine how much you could save on your utility bills. Enter your current unit’s AFUE value and compare it to a newer, more efficient system.
AFUE Energy Savings Calculator
{{ afueOld }}% vs {{ afueNew }}%
{{ annualNaturalGasSavingsPercent() }}%
Savings
AFUE
Annual Cost
AFUE
Annual Cost
Estimated 15-Year Savings:*
${{ projectedNaturalGasSavings }}
{{ year }} {{ state }} average residential natural gas
retail price of
${{ rateResidentialNaturalGas }}/Mcf**.
*Based on an average annual rate increase of {{
avgUtilityIncrease }}%.
This calculator does not guarantee actual costs or savings and is only to be used for educational purposes.
Customize to Your Home
Adjust these settings for a more accurate calculation:
State
Province
Region
Rate ($/Mcf)
BTUs
Average Annual Heating Hours***
Historical Comparison
{{ state }}'s natural gas prices compared to {{ yearFifteenYearsAgo }}.
{{ yearFifteenYearsAgo }}
--
${{ priceFifteenYearsAgo }}/Mcf
{{ yearTenYearsAgo }}
{{ differenceTenYears }}
${{ priceTenYearsAgo }}/Mcf
{{ yearFiveYearsAgo }}
{{ differenceFiveYears }}
${{ priceFiveYearsAgo }}/Mcf
{{ year }}
{{ differenceCurrentYear }}
${{ rateResidentialNaturalGas }}/Mcf
** Data from U.S. Energy Information Administration
*** Data from 2002 EPA study
** Data for Canadian cities from nrcan.gc.ca
*** Data from weatherdatadepot.com
Furnace Installation or Replacement
Don’t invest in a quality HVAC system and then hire a substandard contractor to install it. You will never enjoy the full benefits of a system installed incorrectly.
At Kapala Heating & Air Conditioning, we specialize in installing equipment the right way. We take our time to ensure everything is measured correctly. Our team will also conduct a thorough energy audit of your home to find additional ways to lower your energy use.
Be sure to ask about our convenient financing options designed to make it easy for you to create your dream home.
Furnace Repairs
Odd-sounding noises, a spike in energy bills, or constant cycling—these signs indicate a problem with your furnace. Don’t wait for a minor issue to turn into a costly problem. Give us a call today if you detect a problem with your HVAC system. We promise never to replace a part unless necessary—or if we can demonstrate significant cost savings.
Furnace Maintenance
Want to get the most value from your HVAC system? Develop a preventative maintenance plan. Doing so can rejuvenate your equipment, increase your comfort, and lower your operating costs.
Give us a call today and ask about our customized Kapala Clean & Check Maintenance tailored to fit your budget and needs. Enjoy peace of mind knowing a trusted professional is watching over your HVAC equipment.
Call Us Today
Our entire team at Kapala Heating & Air Conditioning values the trust you placed in our company—we promise to work extra hard to keep your business. Let us install your next furnace. Give our Lapeer, MI, office a call today for a free consultation. Call us at 810-664-8865 or request service online today.
Need Furnace Service?
Contact the experts at Kapala Heating & Air Conditioning.
Call us at 810-664-8865!
“An interesting two days, furnace went out and we called Kapala Heating and cooling. A tech came and reviewed our 20 year old system. We have a carbon monoxide detector that went off. He told us the furnace was unsafe. We agreed and asked for a sales representative. Tony came that afternoon and provided a fair price and explained several improvements that needed to be done were included in the price. Tony said the installation would be the next day. The technician came on time, introduced himself and went to work. He never stopped until the installation was completed. He cleaned up the work area, then started the new furnace and explained all the improvements that were made. He then asked if we had questions and he provided answers as needed. A great person. We are very happy with the entire process. We have used Kapala for over 20 years and highly recommend them.”
“Very knowledgeable.
Super friendly.
Had the transformer needed in his truck.
Replaced it and was done in less than an hour. Gave me a two hour waiting period from 12-2, and showed up 5 minutes before 12.
Highly recommend Kapala Heating and Cooling!
Excellent service!”
– Edie H.
“I had my furnace replaced in Dec. 2022. The salesman and the installers were all efficient and helpful. My installation was in a crawl space, not the easiest place to work. They also had to redo the venting for my water heater. Any questions I had were answered and the furnace operation explained. My furnace was eligible for a rebate and the office sent the forms in and I received it in Feb.”
– Charlotte P.
“Our furnace quit working on Friday. We thought we were going to be without any heat, until the following week. We were very fortunate to get connect with Jake, to service our furnace. He arrived the time he said he would. Very knowledgeable, professional and courteous. He exceeded all expectations. Five stars to Jake. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Highly recommend.”
– Keith P.
“Jake came today to service the furnace. Personable, professional, and he did his job well and answered my questions to my satisfaction. Thank you!”
– Carol P.
“Truly beyond my expectations. Both technicians were friendly, professional, and on time. The text messages from your company with the name and a picture of who you are sending out along with an arrival time is awesome. Warranties are hard to understand and are not always clear what’s covered. Thank you for taking the time to look into this for me and finding the part was covered. Saved me some money, shows you are an honest business and that you care about your customers. I highly recommend this company, you will not be disappointed. Thanks again!”
– Jeff and Heather B.
“Yesterday I had ultra-violet light bulbs installed on my furnace that your team installed a few years back, and just want to say how impressed I was with Curt and Brendan on the initial installation and Tom with yesterday’s installation! Working with Mark Butzu has also been a great experience setting everything up and being able to answer all our questions! You have a great team! We are also on the Comfort Rewards service program and did not want to leave out the technicians that have also taken care of our system!!!”
-Mark & Jill R.
“Our boiler broke beyond repair and converting to a gas furnace was a big choice because of the cost. We are glad we chose Kapala. Curt and Brendan worked very hard and did a great job. We couldn’t be happier with our choice and the work that was done. Chris did a great job explaining what we needed and helped us through the purchasing process. One day while I was working, they even looked after my dog. 🙂 I would absolutely 100% refer my friends and family to Kapala.”
– Ryan A.