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A furnace that is struggling in Bartholomew County has almost certainly been brought down by something other than what the sky has thrown at it. 57 severe weather events were recorded in Bartholomew County, Indiana between 2015 and 2024. At that rate, severe weather is an event here, and most systems in the county have not been hammered by it year after year. A contractor quoting a furnace installation in this area will size and spec for a local climate that is real but not relentless, which means the decisions that matter most are about equipment selection, duct layout, and how well the original install was done. Age and workmanship explain far more failures here than weather ever will.
Ductwork laid for one era of heating equipment does not automatically serve the next. Half the homes in Bartholomew County, Indiana were built in 1979 or earlier (2020-2024 ACS 5-year). That span between when these houses were built and what contractors are now installing into them is where the hard decisions sit: whether the existing duct runs can carry the airflow a new furnace requires, and whether the electrical service will handle the load. A contractor sizing a furnace here prices the ductwork and the panel before the box, because in stock this age those are the variables that move the job.
What Gets Installed With a New Furnace
The furnace itself sits in the basement, utility room, or crawlspace and is the unit that produces heat. Attached to it is the air handler, which pulls air from the house, moves it across the heat exchanger, and pushes the warmed air back through the supply side of the duct system.
The flue pipe runs from the furnace to an exterior wall or up through the roof, carrying combustion gases out of the house. The thermostat goes on an interior wall and is the control point that tells the furnace when to fire and when to shut off.
The drawing shows a typical layout, and a licensed contractor determines exactly what applies to this house.
Find a contractor in Bartholomew CountyBartholomew County, by the numbers
57 severe weather events were recorded in Bartholomew County, Indiana between 2015 and 2024.
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, bulk CSV export, events 2015-01-01 through 2024-12-31.Half the homes in Bartholomew County, Indiana were built in 1979 or earlier (2020-2024 ACS 5-year).
U.S. Census Bureau, 2020-2024 American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesBartholomew County, Indiana holds 35,668 housing units (2020-2024 ACS 5-year).
U.S. Census Bureau, 2020-2024 American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesOwners occupy 69.3% of the occupied homes in Bartholomew County, Indiana (2020-2024 ACS 5-year).
U.S. Census Bureau, 2020-2024 American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesFurnace Installation Rules for Bartholomew County, Indiana4 sourced standards and codes
What the installation actually looks like
Non-weatherized gas furnaces manufactured on or after November 19, 2015 must reach 80.0 percent AFUE.
Non-weatherized oil-fired furnaces manufactured on or after November 19, 2015 must reach 83.0 percent AFUE.
Mobile home gas furnaces manufactured on or after November 19, 2015 must reach 80.0 percent AFUE.
Non-weatherized gas furnaces manufactured on or after December 18, 2028 must reach 95.0 percent AFUE, up from the 80.0 percent minimum that applies to units manufactured before that date.
Severe Weather Events in Bartholomew County
Extreme weather puts hours on heating equipment that milder climates never see. A furnace sized and installed for local conditions handles that load better than one spec'd to a national average.
57 severe weather events, 2015–2024. Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database.