There is a lot of debate going on right now about energy-efficient appliances. The government is offering rebates 

to people who buy them, but who has money to spend on new appliances, especially if their old ones are still working? Well, you may change your tune and save up some money for a new furnace when you find out just how much an energy-efficient furnace can save you.

This isn’t to say, of course, that you should pull out a five-year-old furnace to replace it with the newest model, but you should seriously consider replacing your furnace if it is more than ten years old. For one thing, you’ll save money on repair costs, no matter what type of new furnace you buy. And even the most inefficient, most inexpensive contemporary furnaces can still save energy compared to one that is more than a decade old.

The actual amount that you can save from a furnace depends on what type of furnace you have and what you’re replacing it with. Because of the cost of oil, furnaces that run on oil will save more money when they are efficient than furnaces that are run on gas. However, all types of energy materials are rising in cost, so the sooner you replace your old furnace with a new, energy-efficient furnace, the more money you’ll end up saving over time.

Savings with Gas Furnaces

These savings hold true for a home that is about 2,500 square feet, and they are meant to show you what you could save by replacing your old gas furnace with a new one that is 90% efficient. In frigid Maine, the average savings for replacing a 60% efficient furnace with a 90% efficient one are about $1,300, and replacing a 78% efficient gas furnace with that same 90% efficient model can save $355. These savings are per year, so just imagine what you could save over the life of your new furnace. Of course, if you live in a more mild area, you won’t save quite as much, but even in Florida, the savings would really add up.

Savings with oil Furnaces

The amount of money you can save with an oil furnace is even more shocking. If you were to replace a 60% efficient oil furnace with a new one that is 83% efficient, you could save around $1,600 a year in a cold climate and at least $200 a year in a hot climate. Replacing a 75% efficient oil furnace with an 83% efficient model would save you almost %600 in a cold area and at least $100 in a warmer area.

Repair Costs

While you’ll still have to have your brand-new furnace checked every year, you could save some serious cash on actual repair costs. If your duct-work and electrical wires are in good shape, it may only cost you about $2,000 to $3,000 to replace your furnace with a new energy-efficient furnace, and if you live in an area that gets even a little chilly in the winter, you can recuperate that in repair costs and energy cost savings in just a couple of years.

 

These days, everyone’s trying to save some cash, and one great way to put money back in your pocket every month – especially during the winter – is to invest in an energy efficient furnace. Most furnaces last for about twenty-five years, but even if your furnace is only ten or fifteen years old, the models that are on the market today can probably far outshine it in terms of energy efficiency.

However, there are so many Energy Star rated models out there that you might have trouble choosing the right energy efficient furnace for you. There are lots of things to consider when you’re making this decision, including the size of the furnace and the actual efficiency rating it gets. Start narrowing down your choices by size, and then figure out which energy efficient model is right for you.

Furnace Sizing

Obviously the large a furnace is, the more it will cost on a monthly basis to operate. Also, larger furnaces will cost more up front, and they may be slightly more expensive to install. If you’re talking to an HVAC contractor to figure out what furnace you should get, be sure that the person performs a load calculation to determine what size furnace you need.

A load calculation should take into account things like the size of your home, how well insulated your walls and roof are, the number and size of windows and the rooms in your home, and other factors. This information will let you know what size furnace you need for your home, which is important because if the furnace you buy is too large, it will frequently switch on and off and will be generally less efficient and more expensive.

Also, be sure that you don’t assume when replacing your furnace that you should get whatever size the old furnace was. The furnace that is coming out is, for one thing, less efficient than the new model you’re about to buy, and it may have been incorrectly sized in the first place.

Furnace Efficiency

Choosing how efficient you want your furnace to be is a different matter altogether. While furnace sizing is dependent on a number of objective calculations, the efficiency of your furnace will depend largely on what you can afford and what you prefer. You should always shoot for a furnace that is at least 80% efficient because otherwise you’ll be paying a lot more for your energy than you should.

Beyond this, though, take into account some numbers. Any furnace that is more than 80% efficient is going to start getting pretty expensive. Most of the time, these furnaces can make up for the extra cost, but you’ll want to ballpark estimate how much money the furnace will save you each year to figure out how long it will be before the furnace pays for itself.

If, for instance, you invest in a great furnace that will pay for itself within five years, that’s probably a good investment. If, however, your furnace won’t make up for its cost for ten years, and you’re planning on moving before then, it might not be such a good idea. On the other hand, you may want to consider the problem from an ethical standpoint; if you believe in doing all you can to reduce your carbon footprint, you should buy the highest-efficiency furnace possible.

Your furnace is what keeps your home comfortable all year long, so knowing a little bit about furnace maintenance is important for any homeowner. If you’re unsure what it takes to maintain your furnace properly, read on for a bit of advice.

First off, if you’re having trouble with your furnace, be sure that the whole system is turned on and that your circuit breaker is set properly. You would hate to call a repairman to your home only to find that the fix was as simple as flipping a breaker switch! Also, be sure that your furnace is properly plugged in; if the furnace still won’t turn on, try tripping and resetting all the breakers attached to it.

If your furnace keeps blowing fuses or tripping circuits, you should probably not attempt to fix the problem yourself, as it’s probably an electrical issue that will need a professional touch. You should also never attempt to fix anything if you smell gas in your home; if this is the case, simply get out and call the fire department and your local gas company.

If there doesn’t seem to be a major problem with your furnace but you still can’t get it to work correctly, you may need to try calibrating your thermostat. Many people make unnecessary furnace maintenance appointments because their thermostats are not working properly. If you’re having problems with temperature control in your home, first check that your thermostat isn’t improperly influenced by outside temperature by drafts or holes in the wall, and then tape a mercury thermometer a few inches away from your thermostat, being sure that it isn’t touching the wall by putting it on a piece of paper towel.

If your thermostat and thermometer are more than one degree off, try cleaning your thermostat by taking off the faceplate and blowing away dust. You can clean the contact points or coils on the piece with a soft brush or a new dollar bill. Check that the thermostat’s screws are all tight, especially if it works with a mercury thermometer that may not be completely straight. After you’ve done this, check your thermostat again.

If the temperature is back on track with the actual temperature, all you need to do is wait to see if your furnace is actually functioning properly. Otherwise, you may need to replace your entire thermostat, which is a much more complicated process.

Obviously if your thermostat and furnace aren’t synching up for whatever reason, you need to work on your furnace a bit. However, it’s also important that you bring in a professional to perform yearly furnace maintenance in your home, since you can spend a lot of money on repairs and extra electrical bills if your furnace isn’t properly cleaned and lubricated at the beginning of every heating season.

If you want to save a little money on furnace maintenance, consider calling in the professionals a little early. Try having your yearly maintenance done in the middle of summer well before most people are thinking of calling. This way, you’ll have an easy time getting an appointment, and you may just get a discount, as well.