Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

best high efficiency natural gas furnace ?
me | 2-28-14 | TZ

Posted on 02/28/2014 12:53:02 PM PST by TurboZamboni

I've never seen brands rated in Consumer Reports.

Time for a new one and this winter only made it more apparent.


TOPICS: Chit/Chat
KEYWORDS: furnace; heat; vanity; winter
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-49 next last
Open to suggestions and your experiences with gas furnaces you have or had.

Or ...if you know an unbiased source to research.

1 posted on 02/28/2014 12:53:02 PM PST by TurboZamboni
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: TurboZamboni

Go geothermal, more up front but between your air and heat you will save in the long run by far.


2 posted on 02/28/2014 12:54:04 PM PST by Abathar (Proudly posting without reading the article carefully since 2004)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: TurboZamboni

I think that Consumer Reports rates models not brands. Some good brands can have something bad like the Pinto with Firestone 500 tires.


3 posted on 02/28/2014 12:57:21 PM PST by mountainlion
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Abathar

Sorry.

It’s not new construction and I don’t have 30k laying around.


4 posted on 02/28/2014 12:57:31 PM PST by TurboZamboni (Marx smelled bad and lived with his parents .)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Abathar

“Go geothermal,”

Gotta drill a couple wells for that, eh? How deep do they have to be? How much moolah? Might work for me, as I already have one unused well. But your electric bill will go up a lot running the pumps in Northern Ohio,,, wouldn’t it?


5 posted on 02/28/2014 12:59:29 PM PST by Dr. Bogus Pachysandra ( Ya can't pick up a turd by the clean end!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: TurboZamboni

Lennox? At least it was good years ago.


6 posted on 02/28/2014 1:01:43 PM PST by Rio (Proud resident of the State of Jefferson)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: TurboZamboni

Combine a natural gas furnace with a heat pump, unless you live somewhere where the temps get below 30 degrees and stay there for long periods of time.

What I can tell you from experience is not scrimp on size. If the furnace is too small for the job, it will run all the time and cost you more to operate. You could lose the savings on the smaller heater in one month.


7 posted on 02/28/2014 1:05:30 PM PST by Eva
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: TurboZamboni

My gas heater pushing steam died last year mid winter. I went on my backup heat system
http://www.homeclick.com/empire-comfort-systems-hb30m-30-000-btu-vent-free-hearthrite-blue-flame-heater/p-53866.aspx?option=Liquid%20Propane&chnl=cse&ven=google&cam=Empire%20Comfort%20Systems&kw=HB30ML&mr:referralID=9c143785-a0bb-11e3-beb7-001b2166c2c0&gclid=CK2x65Dc77wCFaVxOgodLEcABw

Not the one I have, but you get the idea. Heating bill went down by 50%, ended up using it again this year. I have a old drafty house, this is the warmest inside winter ever.
I love my ventless heater. At some point I am going to have to replace the one in the basement, but I really dont want to spend the money.


8 posted on 02/28/2014 1:06:20 PM PST by Harry Pothead (Go Sarah! I still love her...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: TurboZamboni

My Bryant (now Carrier) made here in Indiana failed the heat exchanger at 7 yrs and while it was “covered by warranty” it was going to cost me about 60% of the cost of a new furnace by the time they were done.

I replaced it with an American Standard which was trouble free for 7 years and I sold the house.

The home I moved to has a Goodman which is 7 years old and has had a number of issues, including pressure switches, a circuit board, and fan motor failure.

If you have a dependable trusted HVAC dealer/servicer, I’d go with that and not sweat the particular brand.


9 posted on 02/28/2014 1:06:31 PM PST by nascarnation (I'm hiring Jack Palladino to investigate Baraq's golf scores.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: TurboZamboni

Rheem. We relaced 3 furnaces with 2 Rheems about 5 years ago. Efficiency was a couple of points below the very top rated, but the overall cost was way less. We have been pleased with the overall comfort and cost.

I can’t give you $$ and cents since we went through 2 Wisconsin winters with only one operable furnace and a wood stove heating a 4 furnace house. So, my heating bills are higher than before. But anything would be higher when you compare a house that is heated vs an unheated house! LOL.


10 posted on 02/28/2014 1:07:33 PM PST by afraidfortherepublic
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: TurboZamboni

I’m in the south and don’t have much to add here but I think it would help if you gave a clearer idea of what you’re doing ... do you need gas to heat liquid (underfloor or radiators) ,, or is this forced air? If you have a certain BTU requirement I think that might narrow the choices a lot...also does it have to be gas?


11 posted on 02/28/2014 1:10:05 PM PST by Neidermeyer (I used to be disgusted , now I try to be amused.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: TurboZamboni
We had a NAVIEN CH240 similar to this one

installed a year ago. Don't know if it's the best choice though.

12 posted on 02/28/2014 1:12:23 PM PST by McGruff (Every night has it's dawn.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: nascarnation

Goodman which is 7 years old and has had a number of issues
***************************
Goodman is a generic “average” quality heater/ac .. they are made here in FL ,, low initial cost but strictly an “also ran” compared to the best.


13 posted on 02/28/2014 1:13:25 PM PST by Neidermeyer (I used to be disgusted , now I try to be amused.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

It's February 28th

Do You Know Where Your Donation Is?


Click The Pic To Donate

Please Donate Now

14 posted on 02/28/2014 1:13:31 PM PST by DJ MacWoW (The Fed Gov is not one ring to rule them all)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Neidermeyer

That’s what the dealer told me. The family I bought the house from had a furnace failure a year before they sold and went for the low bucks.

When the exchanger fails I’ll likely go with a Am Standard because the dealer is a friend of mine and I had good luck with the last one.


15 posted on 02/28/2014 1:17:36 PM PST by nascarnation (I'm hiring Jack Palladino to investigate Baraq's golf scores.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: TurboZamboni

Three years ago we replaced our 25 year old gas furnace. We bought a Trane high efficiency furnace. It is smaller but it heats our 200 year old farmhouse nicely and the bills are smaller.


16 posted on 02/28/2014 1:19:43 PM PST by sneakers ( Quinn: "Liberty is the solution to the human condition.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: TurboZamboni

I’ve got a Lenox that is 15 years old and runs like new.


17 posted on 02/28/2014 1:22:54 PM PST by raybbr (Obamacare needs a death panel.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: TurboZamboni

We replaced our gas boiler that was about 70% efficient in 2009. Replaced it with a high efficiency (93%) Buderus GB 142/30 gas fired condensing furnace. Cost was $7875, but there were rebates and incentives at the time that brought it down several thousand dollars. It weighs a little over 100 pounds and mounts on the wall. With my old furnace we averaged about 2510 therms/year, with the Buderis we average about 1664 therms per year. A savings of about 33%. Some people have reported issues with it, I have no issues after 5 years.


18 posted on 02/28/2014 1:24:59 PM PST by Bruce Kurtz
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Neidermeyer

Force air-natural gas. (Minnesota)


19 posted on 02/28/2014 1:27:12 PM PST by TurboZamboni (Marx smelled bad and lived with his parents .)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: TurboZamboni

Aren’t furnaces a little like computers in that they are shells with similar components??


20 posted on 02/28/2014 1:31:40 PM PST by CMailBag
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-49 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson