Environment
2007-12-01 10:04:00
Is your old furnace spending you broke…or not heating your home?
QUESTION:I’ve heard about the new high efficiency furnaces saving a person a lot of money in fuel costs…how much are we talking about saving?
ANSWER: It’s true that sky high energy bills, diminishing resources, and a healthy concern for our environment have brought a great deal of attention to the topic of home energy efficiency in recent years. Homeowners everywhere are struggling to spend less of their hard-earned cash and use less energy. If we can pollute less, without giving up the warmth and comfort we’ve grown to cherish, we will have helped out with the problems of global pollution that some feel certain is man made. Others aren’t so sure…in any case, logic is still logic.
Almost 35 million homes in America are heated by natural gas-fired forced-air heating systems, by far the most popular form of central heating. Unfortunately, nearly all of these households have been sending 30% or more of their energy dollars up the furnace flue, and in doing so, each one has pumped up to four tons of carbon dioxide, the “greenhouse gas,” into the atmosphere every month of cold weather heating. Most older conventional forced air furnaces operate at very low efficiencies. Some of them are taking advantage of only half or less of the fuel they burn. In an effort to curb this waste and pollution, the U.S. Department of Energy instituted rigid new standards at the beginning of 1992 that require every new furnace that is manufactured to turn at least 78% of its fuel into heat. Manufacturers have responded with models that, at the minimum, meet this standard and, at best, far surpass it.
The measurement for efficiency is called an Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE) rating. All furnaces now manufactured come posted with this rating, generally in the form of a yellow “Energy Guide” label. AFUE ratings run from the 78% minimum to one or more that boast an amazing 96.7% efficiency rating. Though most makers list their furnaces as “high efficiency,” the DOE sometimes refers to units with an AFUE higher than 90% as “high efficiency” and lower-AFUE models as “mid efficiency.” With these new high-efficiency products available, many homeowners are replacing their older outdated furnaces. Replacement costs can run anywhere from $1700 to $3500, depending upon the size requirement, the complexity of the installation, the actual furnace bought, and any ductwork or piping which may be required to be installed for the higher efficiency models. Other variables are possible, but these are the most common.
High-efficiency models represent only about $500 to $1000 more in material costs than mid-efficiency units, and some utilities offer some attractive rebates that cover much of the difference. The payback time period depends on the price of the system, local energy costs, the local climate, and the differences in efficiency between the old and new furnaces.
Yellow Energy Guides list estimated annual operating costs for furnaces given specific conditions, but they’re meant for comparison only. When buying a system, you should ask your dealer to help you figure what the actual estimated payback time will be. So, after analyzing your present heating unit, do you really need a new furnace? The bottom line is that a new, high-efficiency furnace can save you considerable money in the long run, so if your furnace needs replacement, it will probably pay you to get a new high-efficiency model.
But does your furnace actually need replacement, or not? Do you want a new furnace because your present one isn’t heating properly or is maybe making too much noise? It could be that simple repairs are all that’s needed to get you back in the warmth of things.
As we’ve said before in this column, the last thing you should take chances with is your life…If the lives of those you hold dear are at stake due to old or faulty heating equipment, pay very close attention to this warning:
DON’T LET YOUR FURNACE END UP KILLING YOU AND YOUR FAMILY TO SAVE YOUR MONEY!
In summation, if you’re considering a new furnace to eliminate problems with an older one, get a Heating professional to come out to your home and do an inspection, cleaning, and/or repair of your existing heating unit. If worse comes to worse, do not hesitate to get it replaced…it could save your life! More next month….
