There are a wide variety of furnaces to choose from with efficiencies ranging from 80% up to 95% for gas fired furnaces. Comfort and efficiency are the main things to consider when choosing a new furnace. Many features add to the efficiency of gas furnaces, but the most important factor is whether the furnace is designed to vent up the flue or out the side wall in PVC pipe. PVC vented furnaces are considered 90% efficient, while furnaces that vent up chimneys or metal flues can only achieve efficiency ratings in the 80% range. The more efficient your new furnace, the more you save to operate it. If a furnace is considered 95% efficient this means that for every dollar that you spend on your gas bill, 95 cents of that dollar goes to heat your home, and only 5% is lost out the flue. If your current furnace is working at only 60 or 70 efficiency, you would be saving at least 25% with a high efficiency furnace.
High efficiency furnaces are a great investment in your home. They can pay for themselves in a relatively short period of time. All furnaces are also available with two-stage operation and/or variable motors. Two-stage heating allows your furnace to operate at either 70% capacity or 100% capacity. For the majority of the time the two-stage furnace conserves energy by operating at the lower 70% level. This also helps to keep a consistent temperature in your house by preventing that blast of hot air that you get from older furnaces. The noise associated with furnaces that turn on and run full blast is also greatly reduced. Two-stage heating offers a high level of comfort and efficiency. Variable-speed refers to the blower motor in the furnace.
Variable-speed motors constantly adjust themselves to give you the maximum amount of comfort. They also consume less electricity then standard motors, and are quieter to operate. If zoning is an option in your home, variable speed furnaces are an excellent compliment to these systems. Seliga can also install hybrid heating systems which consist of a gas furnace coupled with an electric heat pump which are designed to run on the least expensive fuel available and can switch back and forth as desired. We also offer electric furnaces coupled with heat pumps. Call Seliga Heating and Cooling @ 314-481-7333 with any questions or for a free comfort analysis.