Gas and Oil Home Heating Furnaces - Mid or High Efficiency Furnace? What brand?

Our new home, an older bungalow in Ontario, Canada, has what could be the original forced air furnace, a Lincoln.
From what I can tell, Lincoln are no longer in business.
The furnace needs to be replaced, and we're wondering which option would be the best.
We've heard about the cost savings of a high efficiency furnace, but also that they are prone to breakdown/service failure.
They also cost more than a mid efficiency unit.
The building inspector who reviewed our home prior to purchase recommended the mid efficiency furnace.
Does anyone out there have any thoughts about which is better over all, and which make is the more reliable?
We have an option to get a Lennox, but I don't know anything about the performance of them v.s. a Carrier, etc...

Any suggestions will be appreciated.

Thanks,
Kimmie

I'm not a heating expert, but I believe the high efficiency furnace needs two pipes to operate: one to exaust the fumes, and one to draw combustion air. A mid efficiency furnace only needs one pipe for exaust, it uses the inside air for combustion. That partly where the differnce in efficiency comes. I would think a high efficiency is much better in the long run, but it will be more expensive to install because the installer will have to install a I believe 3" plastic pipe. Both types can be vented without a chimney, on the outside wall, althought local "rules" vary.

I'm sure you're correct with your suggestion about the additional piping.
Our furnace room is also a workshop area, and the duct work is like a spider web.
I still haven't figured out what direction to move all the vent tabs in order to get the heat to circulate properly either.
The vendors were older, and had the vents in certain rooms closed. To make it a bit more of a challenge, what seems to be open for one room doesn't mean anything in another room!
I'd be thinking there is also a mindset that if it's high efficiency and cost effective, that it would justify a higher price tag.
Specialty items always do.

Thanks for your time.
K.

Go for the 80% furnace. From your duct discription, it sounds like a 'spider' type and will not work well with the 90% condensing furnaces. Lennox is a good brand, but most 80's no matter what brand are all about the same.

Thankyou...

Your description of a "spider type" is pretty accurate based on the
number of cobwebs the shop vac inhaled when we cleaned this weekend.
So far, the vote is for mid-efficiency, or 80%, as you describe it.
Do the newer furnaces come with a built-in humidifier system,
or is it an option?
It's pretty dry in the house - which isn't a bad thing, since it won't encourage mould, but I'd like it to be a bit more skin and sinus friendly!

K.

You can add a humidifier to any forced air furnace. It's a pretty easy job to do, all you need is patience, a water line and a drain. :)