FURNACE
Q: Any news about high-efficiency Furnaces?
A: Yes! the new FortisBC furnace replacement pilot program is here. Install a high efficiency furnace now and get an $800 rebate from FortisBC. Only the first 2000 applicants will receive rebates. So don't delay, call YES! WE DO (604 779 8823) now to schedule your free in-home consultation and quotation.
The FortisBC rebate can be combined with manufacturer's rebates and LiveSmart BC grants to save up to $1600 total.
Q: Is it true that new furnaces use up to 40% less natural gas than older models?
A: Yes, it is. Natural gas prices have more than tripled in the past 10 years (1), and many analysts are forecasting further price increases. Fortunately, the efficiency ratings of new furnaces have also been increasing. In 1995, the government raised the minimum required efficiency of new furnaces to 78%. Most furnaces installed before this time were only 60-70% efficient, and very old furnaces can be less than 50% efficient. New American Standard, Ameristar, Rheem and Aire-Flo and furnaces are 90% to 95% efficient. They can reduce your heating costs by up to 40%.
Since space heating accounts for about 60% of the average home’s energy cost (according to Natural Resources Canada’s Heating With Gas) these savings can be substantial, and a new furnace can pay for itself in as few as five years.
Q: Can you guys make a comparison of variable speed DC motors and AC motors for me?
A: Variable speed DC motors save on electricity, too. Everyone knows that their furnace is their home’s main consumer of natural gas. But according to Natural Resources Canada, a furnace’s fan motor is in "many cases the largest consumer of electricity in the household."
While most homes currently have furnaces with AC motors, some new furnaces have variable speed DC motors which only use about half as much electricity. If the fan is being run continuously, a variable speed DC motor will only use about $61 of electricity compared to $263 with a standard motor. If the fan is being run during heating only then consumption should be about $44 per year compared to $79 per year with a standard motor.
Continuously running a variable speed fan will result in more even temperatures from room to room due to the continuous flow of air. Continuous airflow will also result in improved humidity and cleaner air from increased use of the filter. For more information on these motors see BC Hydro's vsm h.e.l.p. sheet. Having two-stage burners can further reduce household temperature variances.
Q: Why is the two-stage furnaces good for a house owner?
A: Two-stage furnaces is good for improved home comfort. Older furnaces only operate at full capacity, or "high fire" when they come on. On moderately cool days, they wait until your home gets cooler than the thermostats set point, and then blast in hot air for a brief period of time until your home gets too hot. Most of the furnaces we now install are two-stage furnaces which can operate at a lower capacity, or "low-fire" mode, on milder days. The furnaces runs at a lower level more consistently with the fan circulating the air longer, resulting in more even temperatures over time and from room to room within your home. A two-stage furnace will also run quieter in the lower stage.
Q: How do new furnaces use so much less gas than older ones?
A: New 80% furnaces use less energy than older furnaces due to many design improvements, including
1) lack of a pilot light (hot-surface ignition is used instead)
2) closing off of the chimney when the burners are off- there is not always an opening for heat loss
3) a heat exchanger with more surface area enabling more exchange of heat
A high efficiency (90-95%) furnace achieves its rating by releasing the chimney gases at a lower temperature. In regular furnaces, the chimney gases leave the chimney at well over the boiling point of water so that they can rise quickly without rusting the heat exchanger and chimney pipe. In a high efficiency furnace, more heat is removed from these gases in a second stainless steel heat exchanger and a second fan then blows them outside in a plastic pipe.
Q: Do new furnaces help me to reduce my home’s greenhouse gas emissions and get a grant?
A: According to the Environment Canada report Climate Change Plan for Canada (2), 28.7% of personal greenhouse gas emissions are from space heating, compared to 49.9% from transportation. Since there are more than twice as many vehicles as household furnace/ boilers, this means that the average furnace/boiler produces more ghg’s than the average vehicle. When you reduce the amount of natural gas you use to heat your home by a certain percentage, your ghg’s from heating should be reduced by about the same amount.
The federal governement is also rewarding homeowners who improve their home's energy efficiency with the ecoENERGY program. You can receive up to $790 off a high efficiency furnace. Heat pumps can reduce your greenhouse gas emissions by up to 90%, while also cutting your heating costs by up to 60% and providing air conditioning in the summer.
Call YES! WE DO Plumbing & Heating: 604-779-8823 for more information or to schedule a free quote on a furnace or/and heat pump installation.
Q: Any news about high-efficiency Furnaces?
A: Yes! the new FortisBC furnace replacement pilot program is here. Install a high efficiency furnace now and get an $800 rebate from FortisBC. Only the first 2000 applicants will receive rebates. So don't delay, call YES! WE DO (604 779 8823) now to schedule your free in-home consultation and quotation.
The FortisBC rebate can be combined with manufacturer's rebates and LiveSmart BC grants to save up to $1600 total.
Q: Is it true that new furnaces use up to 40% less natural gas than older models?
A: Yes, it is. Natural gas prices have more than tripled in the past 10 years (1), and many analysts are forecasting further price increases. Fortunately, the efficiency ratings of new furnaces have also been increasing. In 1995, the government raised the minimum required efficiency of new furnaces to 78%. Most furnaces installed before this time were only 60-70% efficient, and very old furnaces can be less than 50% efficient. New American Standard, Ameristar, Rheem and Aire-Flo and furnaces are 90% to 95% efficient. They can reduce your heating costs by up to 40%.
Since space heating accounts for about 60% of the average home’s energy cost (according to Natural Resources Canada’s Heating With Gas) these savings can be substantial, and a new furnace can pay for itself in as few as five years.
Q: Can you guys make a comparison of variable speed DC motors and AC motors for me?
A: Variable speed DC motors save on electricity, too. Everyone knows that their furnace is their home’s main consumer of natural gas. But according to Natural Resources Canada, a furnace’s fan motor is in "many cases the largest consumer of electricity in the household."
While most homes currently have furnaces with AC motors, some new furnaces have variable speed DC motors which only use about half as much electricity. If the fan is being run continuously, a variable speed DC motor will only use about $61 of electricity compared to $263 with a standard motor. If the fan is being run during heating only then consumption should be about $44 per year compared to $79 per year with a standard motor.
Continuously running a variable speed fan will result in more even temperatures from room to room due to the continuous flow of air. Continuous airflow will also result in improved humidity and cleaner air from increased use of the filter. For more information on these motors see BC Hydro's vsm h.e.l.p. sheet. Having two-stage burners can further reduce household temperature variances.
Q: Why is the two-stage furnaces good for a house owner?
A: Two-stage furnaces is good for improved home comfort. Older furnaces only operate at full capacity, or "high fire" when they come on. On moderately cool days, they wait until your home gets cooler than the thermostats set point, and then blast in hot air for a brief period of time until your home gets too hot. Most of the furnaces we now install are two-stage furnaces which can operate at a lower capacity, or "low-fire" mode, on milder days. The furnaces runs at a lower level more consistently with the fan circulating the air longer, resulting in more even temperatures over time and from room to room within your home. A two-stage furnace will also run quieter in the lower stage.
Q: How do new furnaces use so much less gas than older ones?
A: New 80% furnaces use less energy than older furnaces due to many design improvements, including
1) lack of a pilot light (hot-surface ignition is used instead)
2) closing off of the chimney when the burners are off- there is not always an opening for heat loss
3) a heat exchanger with more surface area enabling more exchange of heat
A high efficiency (90-95%) furnace achieves its rating by releasing the chimney gases at a lower temperature. In regular furnaces, the chimney gases leave the chimney at well over the boiling point of water so that they can rise quickly without rusting the heat exchanger and chimney pipe. In a high efficiency furnace, more heat is removed from these gases in a second stainless steel heat exchanger and a second fan then blows them outside in a plastic pipe.
Q: Do new furnaces help me to reduce my home’s greenhouse gas emissions and get a grant?
A: According to the Environment Canada report Climate Change Plan for Canada (2), 28.7% of personal greenhouse gas emissions are from space heating, compared to 49.9% from transportation. Since there are more than twice as many vehicles as household furnace/ boilers, this means that the average furnace/boiler produces more ghg’s than the average vehicle. When you reduce the amount of natural gas you use to heat your home by a certain percentage, your ghg’s from heating should be reduced by about the same amount.
The federal governement is also rewarding homeowners who improve their home's energy efficiency with the ecoENERGY program. You can receive up to $790 off a high efficiency furnace. Heat pumps can reduce your greenhouse gas emissions by up to 90%, while also cutting your heating costs by up to 60% and providing air conditioning in the summer.
Call YES! WE DO Plumbing & Heating: 604-779-8823 for more information or to schedule a free quote on a furnace or/and heat pump installation.
BOILER
Q: Can I get rebate from FortisBC for my boiler replacement?
A: Absolutely yes! But hurry up! Normally, this program will start on April and end on July for Pre-Qualification registration. Install a high efficiency boiler now and get an $800 rebate from FortisBC. This rebate is available until December 31st- but only 2000 rebates are available across BC, so it could end sooner! Don't delay, call YES! WE DO (604-779-8823) now to schedule your free in-home consultation and quotation. The FortisBC rebate can be combined with LiveSmart BC
grants to save up to $1400 total.
Q: How about the new boiler heating system Efficiency?
A: Most older boilers are only about 65% efficient, and many are even less. This means that only 65% of the heat they produce is transferred to the water that heats your home. The rest is lost up the chimney. New boilers are between 80% and 98% efficient, and can save you up to 40% on your utility costs.
Q: Can you explain modulation for me?
A: When older boilers turn on, they only run at full capacity. This means that on a mild day or when only one area of your home is being heated, they will constantly come on for a couple minutes at a time. Most new high efficiency boilers can match their output to the home's needs and run at a consistent lower level. This results in energy savings, quieter operation, and reduced hot and cold spots in your home. That is about modulation.
Q: Could you show me a comparison of steel and Corrosion-Resistand Heat Exchangers?
A: Most boilers have steel heat exchangers. The water passing through them will eventually rust them away. Copper and stainless steel are more desirable as they will last much longer. Using corrosion-resistant materials is especially important when you have polybutylene (grey plastic) piping. In homes with this kind of piping, copper or stainless steel boilers are mandatory.
Call YES! WE DO Plumbing & Heating: 604-779-8823 for more information or to schedule a free quote on a boiler installation.
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