installed a year ago. Don't know if it's the best choice though.
Or ...if you know an unbiased source to research.
Go geothermal, more up front but between your air and heat you will save in the long run by far.
I think that Consumer Reports rates models not brands. Some good brands can have something bad like the Pinto with Firestone 500 tires.
Lennox? At least it was good years ago.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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?
installed a year ago. Don't know if it's the best choice though.
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.
I’ve got a Lenox that is 15 years old and runs like new.
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.
Aren’t furnaces a little like computers in that they are shells with similar components??
Also, please re-read Post 7, second paragraph. Better to over power than under power...
I replaced my contractor grade Carrier with a Trane and it not only keeps the house more comfortable but at a significant savings. Trane is one of the better choices for longevity and efficiency with the HVAC pros that I come in contact with. YMMV as this house is in VA. I can’t speak to Northern climates.
This works surprisingly well. It won’t replace your furnace, but it helps keep the room you are surprisingly warm and it’s only a few dollars per month.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzKbFzUEWkA
Are you changing out your A/C as well? If you want to go with a high SEER A/C you will need to get something with a variable speed motor. If you get a new furnace get one that is at least 96% efficient because you will get a rebate from Xcel or Minnegasco for around $425.
any carrier high efficiency will be very good.
york high-end high efficiency furnaces are great as well.
just get it properly sized for your house (for sq footage there should be proper btu range for the furnace). make sure your ductwork is tight and you adjust dampers accordingly.
Make damn sure when they put the drain line for the condensate it isn’t positioned so it will not freeze in the winter.