ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, November 3, 1996 TAG: 9611060109
SECTION: HOMES PAGE: D1 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: Cut Your Utility Bills
SOURCE: JAMES DULLEY
Q: My old furnace needs to be replaced, and I want to get a super-efficient model. How do I determine whether gas, oil, wood or a heat pump is best, and what are the most efficient models of each available?
A: There have been many recent efficiency and comfort improvements in each type of central- heating system. Selecting the proper model and fuel type for your area can lower your heating costs by up to 50 percent.
The most efficient model is not always the best economic choice for every home. For example, if your home is energy efficient with low-energy usage, the additional savings from installing a super-efficient model over a regular high-efficiency one may not payback the higher initial cost.
Natural gas is typically the preferred fuel over oil and propane. Some of the new gas furnaces have efficiencies as high as 95 percent and have special blowers and controls for extra comfort.
A propane furnace is similar to a gas furnace in efficiency, comfort and design (a different burner orifice is used), but propane fuel is more expensive than gas for each Btu of heat.
There have been fewer efficiency improvements in oil furnaces in recent years. Efficiencies are typically in the 80-percent range. An oil furnace also requires more maintenance than a gas or propane furnace.
If gas costs 70 cents per therm, then propane could cost no more than 60 cents per gallon for equivalent heating costs. Oil would have to cost less than 80 cents per gallon to compete with a super-efficient gas model.
Electric heat pumps are a viable option, especially if you air-condition in the summer, too. Some new ground-source heat pumps, that draw extra free heat from the ground, have heating efficiencies higher than 300 percent. Depending on your relative gas and electric rates, using one may be cheaper than gas.
New natural-gas powered heat pumps are the ultimate in efficiency year round. The heating and cooling outputs are nearly totally variable for the greatest comfort. Although a gas heat pump is expensive to install, the monthly utility bills savings can payback its higher cost over its lifetime.
If you have a good source of firewood, a wood-burning furnace is the least expensive heat. Many of these are dual fuels. When the wood burns down, a backup gas or oil burner automatically comes on with no heat interruption.
Before selecting any new furnace, have several contractors do lifetime cost analyses using various fuels and for various efficiency models.
For a list of the most efficient gas, propane and oil furnaces, electric, ground-source and gas heat pumps, dual fuel wood furnaces, fuel cost comparison charts and do-it-yourself worksheets, write to James Dulley, The Roanoke Times, 6906 Royalgreen Dr., Cincinnati, Ohio 45244. Ask for Update No. 606. Please include $2 and a business-size self-addressed stamped envelope.
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