Which gas furnace to buy? With 409 posts, this is the busiest discussion in our Heating and Cooling forum. The posters' real-world experiences with popular brands of gas furnaces like Rheem, Trane, American Standard, Ruud, and York can help you find an cost-effective, efficient and reliable model. We’ve also got buying advice, tips for choosing a contractor, and reliability ratings for top brands. And keep in mind that furnaces with an energy-efficiency rating above 90 qualify for a 30 percent federal tax credit.
Pros, cons, and costs of pellet-stoves. “We know that oil, propane and natural gas prices are going to continue to go up in the future with no end in sight, so maybe burning wood pellets or corn is the way to go,” one poster posited. Our just-published report and ratings on pellet stoves (and overview on all wood-burning stoves) details their acquisition and operating costs; we've also started a pellet-stove discussion where you can weigh in on the subject.
Solar water heater test update. “We have been looking at solar-assisted, gas-fired tankless, and other water heater designs in an attempt to cut down energy usage of all appliances that use heated water," wrote one contributor. We're happy to offer results to date of our testing of popular solar water heaters, which like pellet stoves, now have their own dedicated discussion.
Essential information: Our Energy Saving & Green Living guide has more information on the tactics, technologies, and tax incentives that can help cut your heating, cooling, electricity and water bills.While I agree that conserving water is a good thing for the environment. It’s tough to justify it economically. The reported saving are totally impossible based on my water cost in St Louis County, MO. My last quarterly water bill was $42.32 - only 16.76 came from water usage of 6000 gallons. So my water cost is .00279 per gallon.
Your $70.00 drip = 25,089 gallons of water per year or 69 gallons a day or 2.875 gallons per hour or over 6 ounces per minute –that’s not a drip that’s a flood.
Your $265.00 shower head needs to save 95,000 gallons of water. If the shower head reduced water use by 4 gallons a minute that mean your calculations are based on 23,845 minutes in the shower per year or 65 minutes per day of shower use. To be fair, it would cost a lot to heat all that water but it stated “saved on your water bill”.
Your $90.00 Toilet needs to save 32,394 gallons or 8708 flushes per year or 23 times per day. Do you flush your toilet nearly every hour of every day?
These blatant exaggerations call all your numbers into question! Show us the math! This article is as bad as anything in the Goofs and Gotchas page of the magazine.
I’m disappointed.
Walt Ahlgrim
Hello,
I made a window air heater one from a recycled storm window and non-perforated sewer pipe for those interested in heating a greenhouse or other enclosed space.
It worked well. made a quick youtube you can visit if interested
Can anyone tell me whether York Guardian 95% efficiency, 60,000 btu furnaces are good quality? My contractor tells me that it will cost $6000 for purchase and installation of the unit. I looked on Ebay for furnaces and found this very one for $850. new in the original box. I need to know if I'm being taken for a ride......
My friend just had a York 97.% Affinity furnace put in and loves it. The contractor did a really thorough job - measured the house, did some calculation, showed him all the choices. I hadn't heard much about York, so I did some research. Turns out they are a big company and won the Consumer Digest Best Buy award and some other industry award that contractors vote on.
Seems like a really solid piece of equipment to me. Other articles say make sure it is installed correctly, and you are good to go. Consumer Reports even noted there was not statistical difference among the top brands, which York was noted with company to the likes of Trane, Carrier, and Lennox.
I am thinking of buying a Miller furnace. Can not find anything on ratings. I hope they are reliable!
Anyone know if Harmon Propane furnaces/AC are any good? I do not see them on your short list and we are leaning towards them instead of the Trane. Same price but better finance terms and more reliable service company.
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