Like other products in the market, some of the available furnaces aren’t worth the money you pay for. Most brands are profit-focused. Therefore they cheaply manufacture the Furnaces.
They use low-quality parts that might not last more than 12 years, even with consistent maintenance and repairs. In short, some brands do not meet the required expectations and performance.
In a nutshell, if you need a high-quality furnace for your home, budget and climate. Check out the most reputable manufacturers.
The manufacturer should have a low product failure rate and an excellent customer satisfaction history.
However, poor furnace quality is not only dependent on the substandard quality parts used when manufacturing. Many other factors affect the quality. Here are some of the furnace brands to avoid.
Furnace Brands To Avoid
This information is based on the consumers’ quality ratings. The listed brands do not quite meet the expected quality standards.
The brands tend to use lower-quality parts compared to other brands. Unfortunately, this makes their furnaces prone to failure, and they tend to have low life quality.
1. Buderus
This brand offers very cheap furnaces. The prices are even lower compared to those of Burnham. That alone should be an eyebrow-raiser.
However, many customers do term the Buderus furnaces as a “piece of crap.” For sure, Buderus puts little to no effort when it comes to product quality. Here are some of the reasons why you should desist from this brand.
- Its furnaces have the highest failure rates. Most of their furnaces die after three years.
- Poor quality parts
- Poor warranty and customer service support
The Logano G334X and G115WS are some of the models under the Buderus Brand that you should avoid.
2. Lennox
I’m confident you are surprised to see Lennox on this list. They offer excellent warranties for some models and have high prices.
But, unfortunately, this model is not as reliable. But, you know what; reliability is the game in this industry.
Here are some of the reasons we advise you not to pay that extra dollar for the Lennox brand.
- Regular breakdowns
- Poor customer service support
- Noisy
Aire-Flo and Lennox Elite is one of the cheap Lennox brand models.
3. Ducane
It’s a budget subsidiary brand for Lennox. Funny how both brands have a low-reliability score. However, it’s much better than the cheap Buderus brand.
It’s still pretty bad, and some customers have given negative feed reviews on the brand. Here are some of the reasons why Ducane has a bad reputation.
- Poor customer service support
- Regular breakdowns
- Painful noise
4. Burnham
It’s not as big as Lennox but has survived for years now. Burnham furnaces are cheaply priced. It’s just a little more expensive than the shitty Buderus brand.
Cheap is bad. With Burnham, you get what you pay for. Do not expect anything fancy or efficient.
This brand has received the second-lowest rating after Buderus. The many reasons that have lowered Burnham rating are:
- Bad customer service support
- Poor warranty
- Frequent breakdowns
- Expensive repairs
- High failure rate
5. Arco Air
It’s a budget-friendly brand. However, if you break down the cost of repairs you’ll have to make, it’s not as budget-friendly.
In addition, many customers are dissatisfied with the brand because it’s not reliable. The brand also has more issues. They include:
- Frequent breakdowns
- Expensive repairs
6. York
It took intelligence to come up with the brand name “York.” But, unfortunately, despite the outstanding reputation and their ten-year warranty, this brand is just a piece of shit.
With a York furnace, you’ll have to look for a permanent maintenance specialist. With the many available options, York cannot be the brand for you. So why do customers hate this brand?
- High failure rate: Of all the furnaces, York has the highest failure rate.
- Bad customer service support
7. Frigidaire
Frigidaire is a household name when it comes to refrigerators. However, it has failed to step up in the furnaces industry. As a result, many customers have given complaints about its furnaces.
On the contrary, Frigidaire has been applauded for the reliability of its parts and energy efficiency. But, unfortunately, highlighted are some of the reasons why customers complain about this brand.
- Poor heat quality
- Bad customer service support
8. Weather King
The Weather king is relatively cheap and offers a warranty of 10 years. However, there are a lot of complaints about the installer, motor breakdowns, etc.
In addition, some customers do claim that both the furnace and valves fail to light for no probable reason. Here are some of the most common problems across the brand.
- Noisy
- Constant breakdowns
Rheem-Model W95TC0701317 has been in the limelight because of its lousy rating.
9. Keep Right
This brand is well priced and was developed for different homes. It also offers a good deal when it comes to warranty. However, despite the two great qualities, several issues are pulling down its ratings.
The ProComfort Deluxe 96 G9MVE is one of the Keep Right discounted models. Its production was discontinued.
10. Evcon
Evcon, which is currently known as Coleman, manufactures furnaces. It has a customer rating of 2.2 out of 5 on almost all platforms. Here are some of the reasons why:
- It has a high failure rate
- Poor warranty
- Constant breakdowns
The Evcon-Model DGAA070BDTD is among the least rated of the Evcon brand.
Tips For Caring And Maintaining Your Furnace
The furnace consumes a lot of energy. It’s the largest energy consumer in many households.
It accounts for about 45% of the average energy bills in many families.
To reduce this cost, you have to ensure your furnace is operating efficiently. This can only be actualized by carrying out regular maintenance on the furnace.
Clean or replace the air filter
The filter is a crucial component of the furnace. Usually, it’s located where the return duct enters the furnace.
It cleans the air before letting it into the furnace. The dirt captured by the filter includes pollen, spores, bacteria, dust, etc.
The filter comes in two types. The cheaper ones, which are of lesser quality, offer essential protection. This type should be replaced anywhere between thirty to ninety days.
While the expensive ones offer better quality, they are the perfect choices for homes with members who suffer from allergies or asthma.
This type can last more than three months. However, this is entirely dependent on the quality of the furnace.
Ensure the blower motor is functioning normally
The motor does spin the fan, which ensures proper and complete air movement in the furnace. In addition, the air filter is installed on the blower motor.
Generally, the motor has several working parts which should be regularly maintained to prevent breakdown. For example, a noisy furnace means the blower wheel or the motor has issues.
While a shrill sound indicates that two metal surfaces are grinding against each other, this can be caused by a loose blower wheel. Likewise, a loud humming sound is a sign of an electrical problem.
In case of any of the mentioned you should call a technician. To help fix the issue before it deteriorates.
Ensure all house vents are free
Your house vents should be open to allow proper air circulation. In addition, it should be free and clear from dirt and items. Blocked vents make the furnace overwork. This will make it less efficient and will eventually damage it.
Remove any flammable items or liquids
Most furnaces are situated in separate rooms such as the basement, storage room, etc. Therefore, explosive things like gasoline, paints, clothes, etc., should never be placed near the furnace. It’s because, at times, furnaces tend to overheat, and this might lead to an explosion.
Ensure the exhaust flue to the outside is clear (Applicable to gas furnaces)
Three gases, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, and nitrogen dioxide, can be found in fumes from your furnace.
This is more probable if you’ve not serviced it in a while. If the exhaust flue is blocked, the circulation of these gases will be affected.
The furnace won’t be able to push the gases outside your home. The buildup of the gases will quickly lead to other health issues such as:
- Headaches
- Death
- Heart palpitations
- Collapse
- Fatigue
- Nausea
What To Look For In A Furnace
When buying a furnace, you should take time to study the available options. The various characteristics such as size, type, and efficiency will impact the amount you’ll spend.
1. Pricing
The furnace is an investment in your home. Before purchasing the system, please do a thorough check-up on its options.
This will save you from ending up with something inefficient, which may even compromise your indoor air quality.
When it comes to budgeting, you should note that installation is what costs more. However, some additional costs are associated with the furnace. This includes labor, indoor air quality features, and other fixes on the air distribution system.
2.Size
It should be the correct size. The only way to be confident of this is by seeking professional help from your contractor. After an assessment, he’ll advise you on the best size to buy.
Without guidance, you might buy a small furnace that won’t be able to keep your house warm. Or rather, you might buy one that’s too big, and this will come with increased installation costs.
3. Air filtration
Most furnaces have their air filtration. This is a great feature for families that have members with specific health issues like asthma. If you happen to have a sickly family member, do not go for brands that lack this feature.
Such types of furnaces have an electrostatic filter. It catches dust and other dirt from blowing through the heating system.
4. Warranty
The warranty varies; for premium furnaces from renowned, you will get a 10+ years warranty. However, if you go for the basic tier, you will get fewer warranty years.
Some brands offer lifetime warranties for some specific parts of the furnace, such as the heat exchanger.
Conclusion
To keep your home and budget warm, you’ll need something that can last more than ten years. In ten years, it should be hassle-free, not requiring constant repairing and replacing.
To be safe, avoid some furnace brands at all costs. Instead, it would be best to note some factors while purchasing a furnace, such as zoned heating, variable heat output, variable speed blowers, and many more.
