2012 Buyers Guide for Electric Furnace Prices, Sizes and Installation Costs

For many homeowners, an Electric Furnace or Air Handler with a heating strip, is the only type of home heating system they need. Electric furnaces are really nothing more than an oversize hair blow-dryer, like you might find in the bathroom of almost every home in America. In many smaller homes, mobile homes, or homes in southern states that don’t require too much in the form of heating, they work perfect! The price of electric furnaces can also be much less than gas or oil fired heating systems, which makes them even more popular!

In this Heating System Guide we’re going to take a look at Electric Furnaces, (wikipedia definition) to help you understand more about how they work, what you can expect during an Electric Furnace installation, and a roundup of various Electric Furnace prices you might have to pay in 2012.

Basic Overview of How an Electric Furnace Operates

Almost all electric furnaces have two main components. A blower assembly, which creates airflow and moves the air throughout the homes duct system (if needed), and the heating coils, which heats the air as it passes over. In some cases, air handlers and electric furnaces also include an evaporator coil, which would serve to handle the central air conditioning of a complete central heating and air system.

The way an electric furnace works is very basic. When the blower assembly is turned on by the thermostat setting, air is drawn into the system through a return air filter, and cycled back into the living area through a single, or multiple vented system of ducts. If it’s cold enough, the thermostat will also call for the heating coil to be energized, which warms the air as it passes over the coil, and re-enters the living area.

CFM Size Factors in Electric Furnaces

Just like gas furnaces and any other type of home heating system, your electric furnace needs to be sized according to the area its going to be installed for. If you have a central air conditioner or heat pump installed, the blower size (measured in CFM, or “cubic feet per minute”) must be matched to the needs of the unit, or it will not cool your home effectively.

The CFM your electric furnace is designed to move is determined by the factory, and usually in 400cfm increments. 400cfm of air is the commonly agreed equivalent for one ton of air movement needed in a cooling system. For example:

• 0-2 ton cooling = 800 cfm (usually the smallest electric furnaces)
• 3-tons of cooling = 1200 cfm required
• 4-tons = 1600 cfm
• 5-tons = 2000 cfm

Electric Furnace Heat Strip Sizing

In addition to the cfm airflow your electric furnace is designed to handle, you will also need to match the heating strip up to your home and the circuit breaker that powers the unit. Heat strips come in several sizes ranging from 5kw – 20kw, however, most of the larger sizes are merely chained results of two smaller units (ex: 20kw = 2 x 10kw strips) You should speak to your HVAC contractor about how large of a heating strip your system needs as well as the electrical requirements for powering the system.

Electric Furnace Prices and Installation Cost Variables

Unlike gas or oil fired forced air heating systems, an electric furnace really only has a few small options. They are not energy-efficient in any form, so the only real option when it comes to an Electric Furnace is going to be the type of blower installed, and the size of the unit. As you try to get a basic estimate of how much a new electric furnace costs, use the scale below to help:

Average Wholesale Electric Furnace Prices

The short list below contains average wholesale prices of electric furnaces and the optional components usually purchased at the same time of installation.

• 600-1000 CFM – $425
• 1000-1400 CFM – $640
• 1400-1800 CFM – $780
• 1800-2200 CFM – $960
• AC Coil Included – Add $400 to each.
• 5-20kw heating strip – $90
• Variable Speed Blower Upgrade – $350
• Thermostat – $75

The only way to get an exact price of a new electric furnace is to have a qualified professional come to your home, look over the needs of your complete heating system, and recommend the right size and unit. Get free competitive quotes now.

Installation Cost of Electric Furnaces

Like almost all type of central heating system, an electric furnace is probably going to require at least one visit from a professional heating contractor. Even if you dare to try the DIY route and install your own electric furnace, you should at least hear out a professional and get at least 2-3 price quotes, so you have some kind of idea what you may be getting into. You can learn quite a bit about the details and dangers, just by reading an electric furnace price estimate!

The installation factors that are going to effect the total installed cost of an electric furnace are:

• Location of the unit in your home. The harder it is to get to, the higher the price may be.
• Existing electrical panel service and the requirements of the new unit.
• Condition of current duct system where applicable.
• How busy the heating contractor currently is.
• If it’s a wall furnace, the amount of painting and drywall work required to finalize the finish.

There are a few other factors, but most are related to your property more than anything else. We suggest getting several quotes from local pro’s to have an electric furnace price comparison you can count on!

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