| #ffffff;" /> | | | | keep the temperature in your home more |
| In Calgary, heating a home is never easy. The | | | | constant. |
| average nightly temperature in February, the | | | | • High-efficiency furnaces can be operated |
| coldest month of the year, is -15ºC. Add in | | | | by a DC motor, which uses about 30% less |
| the occasional wind chill, and you have some | | | | energy than an AC motor. |
| pretty frigid temperatures. In fact, late January of | | | | How a High-Efficiency Furnace Heats Your Home |
| 2009 brought wind chills of between -30 and | | | | What makes these new furnaces so efficient? |
| nearly -50 ºC. | | | | According to the Natural Resources Canada (NRC) |
| Given those bone chilling temperatures, it is only | | | | website, the efficiency comes from the way heat |
| logical that many Calgary homeowners are | | | | is generated and the way gas from the furnace is |
| evaluating their home heating systems to see | | | | vented. |
| where they can increase efficiency and decrease | | | | In a standard furnace, combustion gases are |
| costs. | | | | generated by the burner, pass across a heat |
| Why Choose a High-Efficiency Furnace for Your | | | | exchanger and release heat, and then get |
| Home Heating | | | | exhausted outdoors via a chimney. In |
| Alberta’s Climate Change Central (CCC) | | | | high-efficiency models (specifically condensing gas |
| estimates that close to 60% of your home | | | | furnaces), “heat exchange surfaces made |
| energy bill goes toward heating. Clearly, a more | | | | of corrosion-resistant materials [are used] to cool |
| efficient furnace would help reduce those costs. | | | | and condense the combustion gases (causing |
| In today’s economy, however, many | | | | them to liquefy), thus releasing more heat for the |
| people are weighing the expense of buying a new | | | | home.” There is a small amount of |
| high-efficiency furnace against other options. | | | | wastewater, piped to a floor drain. |
| Maybe a mid-efficiency furnace will do. Or maybe | | | | The condensing process also reduces the |
| they can stick with their old furnace until the | | | | temperature of the flue gases, so they can be |
| economy recovers a bit. | | | | pumped out of a PVC or ABS plastic pipe, instead |
| Those in difficult financial circumstances will have | | | | of a chimney. Chimneys are a major source of |
| trouble justifying the costs of a new furnace, | | | | heat loss, so bypassing them increases the |
| especially if there is life left in the old one. For the | | | | efficiency of your home heating system. |
| rest of us, there are many reasons to consider a | | | | In addition to greater heating efficiency, a |
| high-efficiency furnace: | | | | high-efficiency furnace can also reduce overall |
| • Costs will be offset somewhat by | | | | energy costs, if you use a variable-speed DC |
| government incentives. A new renovation tax | | | | motor. These motors, mentioned earlier, use less |
| credit (only available until early 2010) and the | | | | energy while distributing heat better. |
| existing federal retrofit program will shave off at | | | | What’s more, they generate less heat, |
| least a couple of thousand dollars from the price. | | | | which allows the bearings to run cooler. According |
| • High-efficiency furnaces cost more than | | | | to NRC, this results in less motor noise and longer |
| mid-efficiency furnaces, but the higher costs will | | | | life expectancy for the motor. |
| be paid for in less than six years, according to | | | | Installing a High-Efficiency Furnace |
| CCC. | | | | If you want to start reducing your home heating |
| • A new furnace adds to the resale value | | | | bill, look for heating contractors in your area. It is |
| of your home. | | | | best to get a few estimates before signing a |
| • High-efficiency furnaces are quieter and | | | | contract. |