high-efficiency Furnaces
Get Out of the [C]old
The average Canadian house devotes 60 per cent of its total energy use just to space heating. So, if you're looking to slash your home energy bill by perhaps as much as 30 per cent, consider replacing your aging, gas-guzzling furnace with a high-efficiency model.
Still, a high-efficiency furnace costs several thousand dollars to buy and install. Thus it pays to take the time to choose the right furnace, and contractor, when contemplating this sizable investment.
Getting Efficient
(source: http://www.climatechangecentral.com/publications/enerclick/february-2007/what-look-when-considering-a-high-efficiency-furnace)
Perhaps the first decision is whether to buy a high-efficiency furnace (90 to 97 per cent of the burned natural gas is converted into usable heat), or a mid-efficiency model, with a 78-82 per cent rating. The high-efficiency furnace's greater cost will take less than six years to recover, through increased energy savings.
"Besides saving more energy, a high-efficiency furnace runs much quieter than a mid-efficiency furnace and makes your house more comfortable with its ability to maintain a more constant temperature," says Dave Miller, a Calgary energy consultant. High-efficiency models also have the option of running the furnace fan with a direct current motor, which uses about 30 per cent less electricity than an alternating-current motor.
An important thing to consider is the furnace's size relative to that of your house. A high-efficiency model can generally be somewhat smaller, in BTU input, than an older or a mid-efficiency furnace. The furnace size can be affected if your house insulation is poor, though it makes sense to plug those heat leaks before investing in a new furnace.
Some other things to consider when purchasing a new furnace:
- Look for models with an Energy Star® label, affixed to furnaces with an efficiency rating of 90 per cent or higher
- Get more than one price quote from professional heating system contractors with considerable experience in installing high-efficiency furnaces. Also ask for a heat loss calculation, used to determine the size of furnace.
- Installation costs can vary somewhat, depending on such things as the amount of ductwork required. For example, most high-efficiency furnaces are vented to an outside wall and combustion air is drawn in through plastic pipes.
- Adding an electrostatic filter system to your new furnace - at an extra cost of a few hundred dollars - has a greater impact on reducing dust and some allergens in your house than improving the overall furnace efficiency.
