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The Difference Between Single-Stage and 2-Stage Furnace

The Difference Between Single-Stage and 2-Stage Furnace

People use furnaces to heat their homes. They are the cornerstone of the modern home heating system to heat a building effectively and quickly. When you happen to have a furnace, you know that you are going to be warm during the colder periods. However, if you ever find yourself needing to call upon HVAC services in Toronto due to furnace malfunction, you can save the company a bit of effort if you can tell them whether your furnace is a single-stage unit or a two-stage one.

Single-Stage vs. Two-Stage Furnaces

The single-stage furnace is a traditional design that heats the house with a single source of heat. These furnaces are very easy to install and operate. The heat is supplied by one primary burner. On the other hand, the two-stage furnace has more features than most single-stage furnaces. Instead of heating a house with a single heat source, it uses air and fuel to produce heat. Besides, it has a two-stage gas valve and a variable-speed blower motor. While this type of furnace is more efficient than a direct-fired single-stage system, it is also more expensive.

Knowing The Differences

Single-Stage
As you might expect, a single-stage furnace is one that only has one temperature setting. This single-stage nature means that your heating is reduced to a binary state; you either have the heat on or you do not. Single-stage units tend to be noisy from a combination of running at a high speed and pumping out hot air at a high velocity. Understandably, you can also find this sort of unit being marketed as a "single-speed" furnace.

Two-Stage
These sorts of furnaces have more settings than 0% and 100%, so to speak. Generally speaking, homes with a two-stage furnace can go to 0%, 50%, and 100%. More specifically, you run it at its first settings, the 50% power one, to maintain a general level of warmth within a building; when the temperatures begin to plummet to unpleasant depths, the furnace can be shifted into full power to compensate for the chilly environment.

One major benefit of these types of furnaces is that they contribute to fewer fluctuations in temperature than a single-speed furnace as you move from room to room. By running the device at less than full power, you get to enjoy a quieter home without experiencing palpable blasts of heat or sacrificing warmth in the process.

This type of furnace uses several instruments and gauges of the temperature and transmits this data to its output. In short, a modulating furnace is more of a self-governed dial instead of having two or three static power settings. While this sort of furnace can be more fiddly than the other two, the main benefit is that you never have to worry about operating the furnace on your own; you simply leave everything to the computers.

The two types of furnaces are great ways to heat your home. These furnaces have advantages and disadvantages, but they are both great products and will give you many years of efficient heating. Whether you go with a single-stage or two-stage system will depend on your budget, your home's size, and your willingness to invest in future repairs. Contact A-Plus Quality to choose the best option for your house!

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FAQ

  • Why is there ice building up on the copper pipes?

    There can be many reasons why the refrigerant pipes are freezing up but the most common issue is low refrigerant levels. If your AC unit has ice buildup turn off the unit for at least 4 hours and call us at 416-410-0337

  • How do I know what size unit I need?
    If you have any problems with your system, you should contact the contractor who installed the units. All our systems are covered by a 5 year parts, 7 year compressor limited warranty
     
  • What is a mini-split?

    By definition, and simply put, a “Split System” is a heating and air conditioning system which has two main components, the indoor unit and outdoor unit. In short, the indoor unit absorbs heat energy in the cooling mode, and the outdoor unit rejects the very heat absorbed by the indoor unit. And the cycle is repeated until the set temperature is met. Although the indoor and outdoor units are located in physically different, hence “split” locations, they are connected and operate as, one system; continuously circulating refrigerant liquid and vapor by means of interconnecting, dehydrated copper refrigerant lines, commonly referred to as a “Line Set”.

  • Why should I maintain my Furnace or AC?

    An annual maintenance will extend the lifetime of your heating and cooling unit. The technician will diagnose and repair any problem with the unit before it fails, so you won't need to worry about any problems when the weather gets very hot in the summer or extremely cold in the winter.

  • What are mini-split advantages?

    Just as the name implies, a “mini-split” system is a “split system” however available in smaller capacities, for single room to whole house conditioning. Mini-split systems may range from as small as 9,000 BTUh per hour, comparable to say, a small window AC unit, for individual room use, up to 4 and 5 ton capacities for “Room By Room” (also known as “Zoning”) and whole house conditioning. With near universal design, mini-splits are “heat pumps” which provide both heating and cooling for a home. Here are key advantages when compared to traditional split systems:

    Efficiency- Mini-splits are highly engineered systems which offer attractive operating efficiencies, in many instances, eligible for utility company rebates.
    Heat Pump- Most mini-split systems are heat pumps, providing year-round comfort.
    Solar friendly- Due to very low power requirements, mini-splits are an ideal complement to “Net Zero Energy” homes, or any home using renewable power.
    Carbon footprint- Mini-splits are 100% electric, with zero operating emissions of any type.
    Zoning- Most mini-split manufacturers offer systems capable of room-by-room “zoning”, to account for peak demands of a room based upon construction type, exposure orientation and usage.
    Variable capacity- Mini-splits are typically DC inverter driven. That is, a variable speed compressor which modulates in proportion to instantaneous demand. Most conventional split systems, by comparison, operate with an ON-OFF strategy. (Would you use an ON-OFF switch as the accelerator in your vehicle?)
    Location, Location, Location!- Mini-split outdoor units are compact; they can be located far away from noise-sensitive areas, such as bedrooms and home offices. Mini-split indoor units have the ability to be installed where conventional systems cannot.
    They’re perfect for additions and remodels where access to current HVAC system is difficult to access.
    Modern mini-split systems are remarkably quiet; in fact, many times their operation is unnoticed by the end user.

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