Heating & Cooling · Furnaces
Reliable Heating. Comfort You Can Count On.
Stay comfortable through Canadian winters with a dependable, professionally installed furnace. Explore high-efficiency heating options, compare operating costs, and find the right system for your home.
How it works
What is a high-efficiency furnace?
A natural gas furnace burns gas to heat a metal heat exchanger. A blower moves the home’s air over it and sends the warmed air through the ductwork to every room.
A furnace’s efficiency is rated as AFUE: the share of the fuel’s energy that ends up as heat in your home over a typical year. Older furnaces lose a lot of heat up the chimney and are often rated around 80%. Modern high-efficiency furnaces capture extra heat from their exhaust and are rated 95% or higher.
AFUE rates the furnace, not the whole home. What you save also depends on your ductwork, insulation and how the system is used.
- Cooler air from the rooms returns to the furnace.
- The burner heats a metal heat exchanger.
- The blower pushes air over the heat exchanger and out through the supply ducts.
- Combustion gases leave through a separate vent.
Why upgrade
Why choose a modern furnace?
Reliable winter heating
Consistent heating performance through cold Canadian weather.
Improved energy efficiency
Modern high-efficiency equipment can use less natural gas than older, less efficient furnaces.
Whole-home comfort
Warm air reaches every room through a compatible duct system.
Comfort control
Variable-speed blowers and modulating burners can hold the temperature more precisely.
Flexible system options
A compatible furnace can be paired with central air conditioning or a heat pump.
Furnace types
Single-stage, two-stage or modulating?
The difference is how the furnace controls its heat output, which mostly affects comfort and noise.
Single-stage
The burner is either off or on at full output. Simple and proven, but it runs in short, full-power bursts.
Two-stage
Runs on a lower setting most of the time and switches to high output on the coldest days, for longer, gentler cycles.
Modulating
Adjusts its output in small steps to match what the home needs, so it runs almost continuously at a low level.
| Compare | Single-stage | Two-stage | Modulating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Comfort control | Temperature swings as it cycles on and off | Steadier, with fewer swings | The steadiest temperature |
| Noise | Noticeable at start-up, since it always runs at full output | Quieter on its low setting | Usually the quietest |
| Energy efficiency | Set mainly by its AFUE rating | Similar AFUE; longer low-fire cycles | Can reach the highest AFUE ratings |
| Equipment complexity | Fewest components | More controls and components | The most sophisticated controls |
| Installation cost | Generally the lowest | Generally in between | Generally the highest |
Efficiency
Understanding furnace efficiency
An 80% AFUE furnace turns about 80 of every 100 units of fuel energy into heat for the home. A 95% furnace turns about 95 into heat, and a 97% furnace about 97.
All else being equal, a higher AFUE means less fuel for the same heat. How much you actually save depends on how efficient your current furnace is, how much heat your home needs, your fuel price, and how the system runs.
- 80% AFUE Older standard furnace125 units
- 95% AFUE High-efficiency furnace105 units
- 97% AFUE Premium high-efficiency furnace103 units
Going from 80% to 95% saves far more fuel than going from 95% to 97%.
Running costs
What could a new furnace save?
An estimate based on your own fuel use and efficiency. If your current furnace is already efficient, the saving may be small, and this will tell you so.
Heating only. Leave out fixed monthly account charges.
Adjust the assumptions
Defaults are typical rates for your province. For the most useful estimate, use the rates on your own bills.
Enter your yearly heating cost, fuel use or heat demand to see an estimate.
Incentives
Explore available heating incentives
Few programs currently pay for a gas furnace on its own, and not every high-efficiency furnace qualifies for anything. Check what is listed for your province.
Answer a few questions to see which programs you may qualify for. You do not need to give us any contact details.
Considering a furnace replacement? Explore hybrid heating.
Some homeowners pair a compatible furnace with a cold-climate heat pump. The heat pump heats the home for much of the year and also provides cooling, while the furnace takes over on the coldest days. Heat pump incentives may be available for qualifying setups, depending on each program’s rules.
Repair or replace
Is it time to replace your furnace?
Any of these is a reason to have the furnace looked at. None of them on its own means it has to be replaced.
- AgeOlder furnaces are more likely to need major repairs, though age alone does not mean replacement is needed.
- Frequent repairsRepeated service calls, especially for the same problem, add up.
- Uneven heatingSome rooms run cold while others are too warm.
- Rising heating costsBills climbing faster than gas prices can point to falling performance.
- Unusual noisesBanging, rattling or squealing that was not there before.
- Reliability concernsWorry about the furnace getting through another winter.
- Poor airflowWeak air from the vents even with a clean filter.
- Comfort problemsDry air, drafts, or the furnace short-cycling on and off.
A professional assessment can tell you whether a repair or a replacement makes more sense for your home.
Choosing a furnace
Finding the right furnace for your home
Size and setup come from a load calculation for your home, not its square footage. An oversized furnace can heat unevenly, cycle on and off more often, and wear faster.
Home heating load
How much heat the home loses on a cold day sets the size, not floor area alone.
Existing ductwork
Duct size and condition decide how much air the system can move quietly.
Insulation
A well-insulated home needs a smaller furnace.
Equipment efficiency
Higher AFUE uses less fuel for the same heat.
Available fuel
Natural gas, propane or oil availability at the home.
Venting
High-efficiency furnaces vent through plastic pipe and need a condensate drain. Changing the furnace can also affect how a gas water heater vents.
Blower compatibility
The blower must match the ducts and any cooling coil.
Electrical and controls
Power, thermostat wiring and controls for any connected equipment.
Cooling equipment
An existing air conditioner or heat pump needs to work with the new furnace.
How we work
The Nexhome furnace installation process
Home consultation
We review your existing equipment, your comfort needs, and what the installation requires.
Furnace recommendation
We explain suitable equipment, efficiency levels, and the installation scope.
Professional installation
Qualified installers complete the work to the applicable codes and requirements.
System walkthrough and support
We explain how the system works, how to maintain it, and the warranty and support information that applies.
Comfort Today. Flexible Payment Options.
Explore financing options that may help make your furnace replacement more manageable.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How long does a furnace typically last?
Many furnaces last 15 to 20 years. Lifespan depends on the equipment, how well it was installed, how hard it works, and how well it is maintained.
What is the difference between a single-stage and two-stage furnace?
A single-stage furnace is either off or on at full output. A two-stage furnace also has a lower setting it uses most of the time, which gives longer, quieter, more even heating cycles.
What is a modulating furnace?
A modulating furnace adjusts its output in small steps to match the home’s heating need, running at a low level for long periods. It usually gives the steadiest temperature and quietest operation.
What does AFUE mean?
Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency is the share of the fuel’s energy that a furnace turns into heat for the home over a typical year. A 96% AFUE furnace turns about 96 of every 100 units of fuel energy into heat. It does not include heat lost from ductwork or the electricity used by the fan.
Is a 97% efficient furnace worth it?
Compared with a 95% furnace, a 97% furnace uses about 2% less fuel for the same heat, so the yearly saving is usually small. It is worth considering when it comes with features you want, such as modulation and a variable-speed blower, or when the price difference is small.
How do I know what furnace size I need?
From a heat loss calculation for your home, which in Canada is typically done to the CSA F280 standard. Square footage alone is not a reliable guide, and an oversized furnace can heat unevenly and cycle more often.
Can I use my existing ductwork?
In most homes, yes. The ducts are checked for size, condition and airflow during the assessment, since a new furnace or blower may move air differently.
Can I pair a furnace with a heat pump?
Yes, with compatible equipment and controls. This hybrid setup uses the heat pump for much of the year and the furnace on the coldest days. Heat pump incentives may apply to qualifying hybrid systems, depending on the program.
Are furnace rebates available in my province?
Very few programs pay for a gas furnace on its own right now. Most current incentives are for heat pumps, including some hybrid systems. The checker on this page shows what is listed for your province.
How long does furnace installation take?
It depends on the scope, such as venting changes, ductwork or electrical work. We give you a timeline for your project after assessing your home.
How often should a furnace be serviced?
Most manufacturers recommend a professional inspection once a year, ideally before the heating season. Check the filter regularly and change it as the manufacturer recommends.
Should I repair or replace my furnace?
It depends on the furnace’s age and condition, the cost of the repair, how reliable it has been, and how comfortable your home is. An assessment gives you the facts to decide, and repair is sometimes the better choice.
Let’s Find the Right Heating System for Your Home.
Whether you’re replacing an aging furnace or exploring a more efficient heating system, Nexhome can help you understand your options.