Gas and Oil Home Heating Furnaces - Any point in replacing low-efficiency furnace?
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Skoorb
10-28-09, 02:48 PM
I have a four year old house with a four year old furnace rated at a whopping 70% (yeah, cheap) efficiency in NY state.
I just reviewed my power bill and it looks like my therms are currently costing $.63. I looked over the last year and I'm averaging 70 therms/month or $45 on actual gas (I have gas water heater, too, which appears to be using about 20 therms/month itself, which is what I am at pretty darn steadily throughout summer months). Peaked up to maybe 140 or so last February.
A theoretical 100% efficiency unit would only decrease my therm use by 7/10 or a monthly average of 21 therms. I would never get that money back. I also had thought of a thermal water heater but if I'm really spending this little on gas I'd never get that back either.
Do my numbers look at all right? Is my per therm cost an anomoly (I realize gas costs have gone down hugely)?
I am reading now apparently my furnace by law must b 78%, so I suppose that's what the label must have said, not 70%.
I just reviewed my power bill and it looks like my therms are currently costing $.63. I looked over the last year and I'm averaging 70 therms/month or $45 on actual gas (I have gas water heater, too, which appears to be using about 20 therms/month itself, which is what I am at pretty darn steadily throughout summer months). Peaked up to maybe 140 or so last February.
A theoretical 100% efficiency unit would only decrease my therm use by 7/10 or a monthly average of 21 therms. I would never get that money back. I also had thought of a thermal water heater but if I'm really spending this little on gas I'd never get that back either.
Do my numbers look at all right? Is my per therm cost an anomoly (I realize gas costs have gone down hugely)?
I am reading now apparently my furnace by law must b 78%, so I suppose that's what the label must have said, not 70%.