BBB Article by Vancouver’s Papa Plumbing
Our first article for the online BBB Newsletter, made Papa Proud.
Choosing the Right Furnace
As fall begins, many households are preparing for the cold blast of the winter season that lies ahead. Typically around the fall season, households begin to get their furnaces serviced. It is recommended that your furnace or heating system be fully inspected once a year by a certified technician. The average lifespan of a furnace is between 18-22 years.
The majority of households have forced air heating systems. Forced air uses air to transfer heat through your house via ductwork, vents and plenums. The type of forced air system that we will review in this article is furnaces.
When choosing the right furnace, there are a number of factors involved. It is important to choose the right type of heating system for your home to conserve energy and money.
To start, a certified technician will visit your home to do a Heat Loss Calculation. This determines the size (BTU) and type of furnace needed for adequate distribution of heat throughout your home. The furnace motor must also be considered. A standard motor, when used all year long, will use more electricity than an average refrigerator. Electricity can be reduced considerably by using a variable-speed fan which uses a DC current. Use of this fan will also better distribute heat through your house.
Until Dec 31, 2009 the consumer has a choice between a mid efficiency or high efficiency furnace. A mid efficiency furnace has an AFUE rating of roughly 80%, whereas, a conventional gas furnace usually has a rating of 60%. Mid efficiency furnaces use B vent (metal chimney) to vent flue gases. High efficiency furnaces usually range between 90-98% efficiency. They use 636 PVC piping (plastic piping) to vent the gases outside through the side of a wall. The holes should not be drilled near any openings such as window, doors, etc.. The high efficiency furnaces are awarded with the Energy Star Symbol. As an incentive to upgrade, the federal government is offering rebates for high efficiency furnace installations. Effective January 1, 2010, only high efficiency furnace installations will be permitted.
When obtaining quotes for your furnace, one should verify that the contractor is registered with the Gas Safety Authority of BC and ensure that the senior technicians are certified gas fitters. It is also advantageous to refer to the BBB website to source reputable companies with a proven track record.
For more information, please visit the following:
Federal Rebates: http://oee.nrcan.gc.ca/residential/personal/retrofit-homes/retrofit-qualify-grant.cfm
Information on Heating Systems: http://oee.nrcan.gc.ca/residential/personal/heating.cfm?attr=4
Papa Plumbing, Heating & Drainage Ltd, www.mypapaplumbing.com/blog, www.mypapaplumbing.com
