Furnace Maintenance, Repair, and Replacement

Coastal Air Plus offers Trane Furnaces and Heat Pump systems.

• Single-Stage: A single-stage furnace has only one stage of operation. It can either be turned on or turned off.
• Two-Stage: A two-stage furnace has two settings–full and half speed. This is a more efficient way to heat and provides better comfort because it can move the air at a slower pace.
• Variable Stage or Modulating: A variable-stage or modulating furnace modulates the speed and heat output based on the temperature outside and the desired comfort level. This furnace only works as much as you need, making it the most energy-efficient type of furnace.

AFUE, or Annualized Fuel Utilization Efficiency, is a measure of furnace-heating efficiency. The higher the AFUE, the more efficient the furnace.

We can calculate the correct size furnace for your home. The number of BTUs, or British Thermal Units, needed to heat your home is dependent on a number of variables. Contrary to what you might think, a bigger furnace may not necessarily mean more heating power for your home. 

Call us at Coastal Air Plus, and we can set up an appointment to calculate the furnace size you might need.

Principal residence owners can use Federal income tax credits.

Upgrades must be to an existing home & your principal residence. New construction and rentals do not apply.

A principal residence is the home where you live most of the time. The home must be in the United States. It can include a house, houseboat, mobile home, cooperative apartment, condominium, and a manufactured home. 

New federal income tax credits are available through 2032 providing up to $3,200 annually to lower the cost of energy efficient home upgrades by up to 30 percent. Improvements such as installing heat pumps, heat pump water heaters, insulation, doors and windows, as well as electrical panel upgrades, home energy audits and more, are covered by the tax credits and can help families save money on their monthly energy bills for years to come. 

In addition to the energy efficiency credits, homeowners can also take advantage of the modified and extended Residential Clean Energy credit, which provides a 30 percent income tax credit for clean energy equipment, such as rooftop solar, wind energy, geothermal heat pumps and battery storage through 2032, stepping down to 22 percent for 2033 and 2034. 

Visit the Energy Star website for up-to-date details.

You can claim: 

• 30% of the project cost, up to a $600 maximum credit. 

Under the tax code, eligible equipment must “meet or exceed the highest efficiency tier (not including any advanced tier) established by the Consortium for Energy Efficiency which is in effect as of the beginning of the calendar year.”  The eligibility described above is consistent with this requirement.

• In addition to limits on the amount of credit you can claim for any particular equipment installation or home improvement, there are annual aggregate limits.  
• The overall total limit for an efficiency tax credit in one year is $3,200.  This breaks down to a total limit of $1,200 for any combination of home envelope improvements (windows/doors/skylights, insulation, electrical) plus furnaces, boilers and central air conditioners.  
• Any combination of heat pumps, heat pump water heaters and biomass stoves/boilers are subject to an annual total limit of $2,000. (Note: ENERGY STAR certified geothermal heat pumps are eligible for a separate tax credit and not counted against these limits.)

Given the way the annual aggregate limits are structured, it may be prudent to spread your improvements over a few years.  

•  If your heating or cooling system is old, and you are considering a new air source heat pump, it is always wise to optimize your attic insulation first, so you don’t pay for more heating and cooling than you actually need.  
• Making these upgrades together in one year would allow you a tax credit of up to $1,200 for the insulation and up to $2,000 for the heat pump. Similarly, you could combine a heat pump installation with window/door replacements.  
• In that scenario, the $2,000 credit for the heat pump could be combined with tax credits up to $600 total for the windows/skylights plus $500 for two or more doors. 
• If you replace your water heater the following year, you would be eligible for another 30% tax credit, up to $2,000 plus up to $600 if you need an electric panel upgrade to accommodate the new water heater.

• ENERGY STAR is program developed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in order to reduce the nation's energy consumption.
• ENERGY STAR® -qualified heating equipment can be up to 15 percent more efficient than standard models. ENERGY STAR® -qualified cooling equipment can be up to 7 percent more efficient than minimum-standard equipment.

• The federal tax credits for energy efficiency were extended as part of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. So, if you made any qualifying home improvements to your primary residence after December 31, 2021, you may be eligible to claim them on your taxes when you file for 2022.
• Contact your tax planner for details!