SQLit wrote:

wrote in message
ups.com...

Hi,
My home is 12 years old and I am looking to save on home heating costs.

I read somewhere that an old furnace loses its efficiency and if its 10
years old, it is only 55% efficient. Is this true? My furnace is a gas
furnace and is 12 years old.

1) If so, I am thinking of replacing it with a new one. What's the best
one out there that is 95% efficient?
How much should I expect to pay for it and also for installation?

I live in Chicago.

2) Also, is it a good idea to replace my water heaters (also gas)? Is
it better to replace them (I have 2) with "tankless water heaters". Are
tankless water heaters installed in the bathrooms or can they go in the
basement?

3) I am thinking of adding a few more inches of insulation in the attic
but concerned that too much of it may lead to condensation which could
result in mold. Any ideas on this?

Thanks.


There is no one that can answer your questions blind.

You have to decide the costs for yourself. The location and installation
for every situation is different. Sometimes not much but enough that the
safety of your home could be at stake.

http://www.hvacopcost.com/

http://198.147.238.24/ac_calc/default.asp

FWIW, unless I'm doing something wrong, that site seems to yield
usage numbers more than double what I actually use.


What you install is directly related to how long you plan to stay and the
ROI.

Insulation/weather stripping is always a good bet especially in older home.
I added R-30 cellulose to my 1977 home this year in July. A/C bill was less
than 1/2 in August. Not a true measure but worth the $300 bucks I paid the
contractor to do the job. All of the electric bills have been down more
than 40% since.

My investigation into tankless heaters proved to me that they were not for
me. Check the rate of rise, then guess at what your winter incoming water
temps are. That was the deal breaker for me.




--
The e-mail address in our reply-to line is reversed in an attempt to
minimize spam. Our true address is of the form .