|
electric forced air furnace?
QUESTION:Anyone using an Electric forced air furnace? I am considering it as an
option but can't find very much info. Everybody is high on Natural gas yet
our province is surrounded by water and electricity prices don't seem to
jump in the winter like gas. I "hear" they are cheaper to buy, easier to
install, and around the cost of a mid-effiecent furnace to operate.
ANSWER: A few years back I switched to electric when my old gas furnace was
acting up once again.
Oddly, my gas was disconnected outside the house, they capped the yellow
gas line beside the house, took my meter.
Also I had to upgrade my panel to 200A (from 100A).
For me, the timing was right. I had just won a new electric hot water
tank, I did a complete re-wire of the house, and gas prices were heading up.
Plus the cost of the furnace ($740 self-installed), the new 200A service
upgrades... I was still a few hundred less than a new natural gas furnace.
Operating costs have been near on-par with gas, tho sometimes it's hard
to measure because of other things using the juice, like computers and
things.
The heat feels the same to me, there's no combustion issues, and
electricity is more stable in price than gas.
As long as the blower is sized right for your house, then that's all
that matters. Blow that heat around, ya get warm.
I think if I regret anything, it's not buying an instant-on natural gas
water tank. Saves energy, is very green.
So... cost.. you'll spend about $800 to $1300 for a new electric
furnace (depending on size)... if you've got the room in the panel, it's
easy to wire in (get a permit!). A roll of foil tape is all I needed to
mate the furnace to the existing plenum. My winter bills have been much
lower since the switch, but then I've also done some re-insulating and
other energy saving things (CF bulbs).
I think the furnace is a hell of a lot better than baseboard heaters.
|
|
|
|
