Mid Efficiency Furnace Phase Out

Old furnaces being phased out. At the end of 2009, the manufacturing and importing or mid efficiency natural gas furnaces will no longer be allowed in Canada.

If you currently heat your home with a conventional or mid efficiency furnace, we urge you to act now while you still have a choice:

Should you buy a new mid efficiency furnace while they are still available?
Should you wait to buy a high efficiency furnace at some point in the future?
Can a high efficiency furnace be installed in your home without opening finished ceilings and/or relocating other services?

Conventional Furnaces

Conventional furnaces have an Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE) between 60 and 65%. This means that for every dollar of natural gas used, 35 to 45 cents is lost up the chimney. Most conventional furnaces currently in use are more than 18 years old. The average life of a furnace is 15 to 20 years. Upgrading to a mid efficiency furnace can save approximately 20 to 23% of your heating costs and a high efficiency model can save an additional 10 to 15% or thereabouts. If your home has a masonry chimney, you may require a liner to upgrade to a mid efficiency liner.

Mid Efficiency Furnaces

Mid efficiency furnaces have an AFUE of approximately 80%. The majority are vented into a B-vent or a masonry chimney with a liner. They are non-condensing and do not require a drain. Five models are currently available: single stage, two stage, modulating, two stage with Electronically Commutated Motor (ECM) or variable speed motor, and modulating with an ECM.

High Efficiency Furnaces

High efficiency furnaces have an AFUE of 90 to 98%. Coleman’s latest CP9C modulating furnaces with ECMs are between 97.5 and 98% efficient. This type of furnace is a condensing model requiring a drain. As well, they require venting to the outside with a plastsic pipe. Two pipes are required on sealed combustion models—one for exhaust and one for combustion air intake. Sealed combustion units will not leak carbon monoxide. In some homes, it may be difficult or impossible to run the furnace vents to an acceptable and code compliant location without damaging walls and finished ceilings. Five models are currently available.

Single stage furnaces will run at full capacity on any call for heat. The furnace is sized to heat your home during the coldest times of the year. But for the majority of the heating season, your home only requires 50 to 60% of the furnace capacity.

Two stage models typically run at 65% of capacity in the first stage and automatically kick into full capacity when required. A longer run time in the beginning helps to eliminate temperature swings and use less energy.

Modulating furnaces can have as many as 65 stages of heat output.

ECM or variable speed furnace fan motors are much quieter, longer lasting and operate for a fraction of the hydro costs of a standard blower.

The Ontario Power Authority (OPA) is currently offering a grant of $125 to homeowners purchasing a replacement mid or high efficiency furnace with an ECM. Add a qualifying ENERGY STAR replacement air conditioner at that same time and you’ll receive an additional $275 to $400 in OPA grants.

When replacing your furnace with a high efficiency ENERGY STAR model, the Federal Government’s ecoEnergy rebate program offers a $600 grant for single or two stage furnace replacement and a $1,000 grant for an ECM model. Combine your new furnace with an ENERGY STAR air conditioner and get an additional $400 in ecoEnergy rebates.

Combining the OPA and ecoEnergy grant with substantial operating cost savings plus seasonal manufacturer’s rebates clearly makes the high efficiency furnaces with ECMs the best choice.