These furnaces are now becoming more common, especially with utility companies giving incentives to consumers for buying these furnaces. Much like the auto industry, the HVAC industry is constantly improving and moving towards manufacturing more efficient equipment. Seems like the entire country is moving towards more efficient “EVERYTHING”.
So what does this mean to you as a consumer? Will buying a new high efficiency furnace justify the price? In most cases a high efficiency furnace (professionally installed) will cost you close to double as a standard efficiency, and in other cases it may very well cost you more than double.
So the big question, “is a high efficiency furnace right for me?”. For as long as we still have the option, it is still well worth it entertaining the subject, as the day will come when we no longer have the choice between standard and high efficiency. A question I always ask my customers is “are you planning to move out in the next 2-3 years?” if the answer is YES then I suggest they stick with the standard efficiency (if that is what they currently have), as this option will be less costly and they will not get their money back soon enough to justify the price of a high efficiency furnace.
However, if the answer is NO, then I proceed to advice that a high efficiency furnace may be a better option, as they will more likely get to reap the rewards in energy savings over the long run. Also, not to forget, most high efficiency furnaces are typically quieter and can make for a much nicer experience as you will hardly notice when the equipment is ON. Also, these furnaces will surely increase the value of your home, should you have to sell. And not to forget, you’re doing your part in saving the environment by not consuming as much energy!
Now, is the grass truly greener on the other side, when making the switch to high efficiency? unfortunately no, there are some draw backs to making the switch, such as: higher repair bills (when the time is due), more parts=more chance of failure, and one the most important ones (in my professional opinion) is that high efficiency furnaces REQUIRE yearly maintenance, not an option, if you wish to keep your furnace running for a while, that is. You see, high efficiency furnaces are also called “condensing furnaces”, as they produce condensate. This combined with lack of maintenance is a perfect recipe for condensate leaks, nuisance furnace lockouts, and premature failure on secondary heat exchanger.
I don’t intend to scare people away from switching to high efficiency, however I do inform my customers, so they’re not surprised and can feel more comfortable understanding that the equipment comes with its differences, as compared to a standard efficiency furnace. As long as the yearly maintenance is performed, you will surely enjoy having a high efficiency furnace at home!
So the choice is yours, with this basic information you should have a much better debate on what you wish to do when replacing that old furnace of yours!
Ivan S,