Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, March 13, 1994 TAG: 9403210193
SECTION: HOMES PAGE: E-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JAMES DULLEY
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
A: The most efficient gas furnaces also provide the greatest comfort and quiet operation. Installing a superefficient furnace can lower your heating costs by hundreds of dollars each year. It often makes economic sense to replace an older furnace even if it still working properly.
For the 1994 heating season, there have been improvements in the electronic controls (for comfort and efficiency) of the most efficient furnace design - a high/low two-stage burner model with variable blower speeds. These also use new motors which consume 20 percent to 80 percent less electricity.
The gas burner runs in the most efficient low output stage 90 percent of the time. In extremely cold weather, when the heating needs of your home are greatest, it automatically switches to the high output stage.
At low stage, the furnace runs longer each on-off cycle. This maintains an even room temperature and eliminates the repeated shots of cool and hot air as with most furnaces. This is also a plus if you have allergies because the furnace air cleaner is more effective.
There are temperature and flow sensors throughout the blower system. Each time your furnace comes on, a computer inside it checks all the sensors. It then determines the most efficient and comfortable blower speeds. If you have closed a register or blocked one with a carpet, it senses the change.
Other high-efficiency furnace models use a combination of single- or two-stage burners and single- or multispeed blowers. These are less expensive and may be a good choice based on your budget and climate.
Some models have a sealed combustion chamber. This minimizes noise, drafts and the possibility of carbon monoxide poisoning from backdrafting.
All of these types of furnace designs use an efficient condensing heat exchanger. The moisture in the flue gases (created during the combustion of the natural gas or propane) is condensed inside the furnace. This squeezes out extra heat, JAMES DULLEY normally lost up the flue.
The flue gases are so cool, since all the heat goes into your home, that they are vented outdoors through a 2-inch diameter plastic pipe. This makes switching from electric heat to gas easy because you don't have to build a chimney. The furnace can be located up to 70 feet from an outside wall.
Write for Utility Bills Update No. 813 showing a buyer's guide of 18 superefficient gas furnace manufacturers listing model number, efficiencies, blower speeds, dimensions, burner types and a pay-back savings chart for installing one. Please include $2 handling fee - cash or check. James Dulley, Roanoke Times & World-News, 6906 Royalgreen Drive, Cincinnati, Ohio 45244.
Q: I completed a new energy-efficient room addition to my home last year. This year, I noticed some small bumps on the drywall where I drove in the nails. How can I permanently repair them?
A: With energy-efficient construction, the moisture level indoors can vary because of the airtightness. This causes expansion and contraction of the wall studs, particularly in new construction and pushes out the nails. Hammer each nail back into place and slightly below the wall surface. Hammer another nail in next to it so its head overlaps the original nail head and holds it in place. Using a drywall screw is even more secure.
by CNB