Dear Glenn: I am about to purchase a new furnace and air conditioner. This is my first purchase of this kind, and the more I talk to heating and cooling estimators, the more confused I get.

I have estimates for a Lennox, Carrier and a Goodman (Janitrol). My house is one-story, a little less than 1,200 square feet and about 50 years old. I want a quiet furnace and air conditioning. Do you recommend a one-stage or a two-stage furnace? What about the SEER number for the air conditioning? Lastly, how about an air cleaner? Also, what is your opinion about having my air ducts cleaned and sanitized?

— Peggy, Detroit

Dear Peggy: All the major heating and cooling manufacturers are going to great lengths to quiet their furnaces and air conditioners.

Lennox currently has one of the quietest furnaces and air conditioners on the market. Two-stage furnaces are far more efficient than single-stage. SEER rating and price go hand in hand.

We do not have many cooling days in Michigan (compared to Florida or Texas), therefore a SEER Rating of 12 or 13 is probably sufficient. The higher the SEER Rating the more cost-efficient the air conditioner is to run. As the price of electricity goes up, the higher priced, high SEER units will be increasingly cost-effective.

It is a very good idea to have the duct work in a 50-year old house cleaned and sanitized.

Dear Glenn: Recently you published an article regarding gutter systems. It seemed to include all systems except for Rainhandler. Do you have an expert opinion on this type of system?

— Tom and Pam, Grosse Ile

Dear Pam and Tom: In the Midwest, many of our homes have basements, and we want to direct rainwater away from the basement walls. I don’t recommend Rainhandler for areas with clay soil (like most of southern Michigan). If your house is on sand or rock, and you don’t have a basement, the Rainhandler system may be OK.

Dear Glenn: I have a Moen kitchen faucet (about 15 years old) that has developed a small drip. What is involved in repairing this leak?

— Ken, Chattanooga, Tenn.

Dear Ken: You are in luck. Both Moen and Delta faucets have very easy repair kits. Shut off the water to the sink (both hot and cold). Take off the handle and unscrew the decorative fitting that covers the working parts of the faucet. Moen faucets have cartridges. Remove the cartridge and take it to a plumbing parts store so that you get an exact replacement. The replacement kit should include an O-ring, cartridge and clip. Replace all these parts and put the faucet back together. Turn on the water, and you should be good for the next 10 years.