"Chas Hurst" wrote in message
...

"Harry Muscle" wrote in message
oups.com...
I'm in the process of deciding which furnace to get to
replace my
existing furnace which is ready to die. I've been told
that high
efficiency furnaces are not really worth it since they cost
more up
front and they cost more in repair costs in the long run so
in the end
high efficiency vs normal efficiency will have cost about
the same, but
the high efficiency will have broken down more often due to
it's
complexity. This makes sense ... but I have one more quick
question.
Are dual stage furnaces quite complex and prone to break
down also?

I've thinking of maybe getting a 80% dual stage furnance
which would be
a bit more efficient than a single stage 80% furnance. But
I'm
wondering if it's worth it. Would a dual stage 80% furnace
be as
complicated as a 90%+ furnace? Are the parts just as
expensive to
replace/repair as a high efficiency furnace? Or in other
words should
I stay away from dual stage furnaces for the same reason I
would stay
away from a high efficiency furnace (high repair costs,
higher chance
of break down).

Thanks,
Harry

A friend just installed a new gas dual stage furnace to
replace his oil
fired unit. I looked it over before installation and the the
dual stage as I
saw it was confined to the heat exchanger. There was a large
pipe unfinned
section and a second section that look like hydronic
baseboard. I fail to
see how this adds complexity, but readily see how it adds
efficiency. The
furnace cost $1076, how much money can be saved on a furnace
that is at
least 10% less efficient?


The gas valve and burner assembly would also have to be
staged.. that would add some complexity.

Cost effectiveness would vary...in a very cold climate with
the furnace running a lot it would probably be cost
effective...in the southern states, near the coasts it
probably wouldnt be.

These days, we are running short of technical talent... my
view is that the simpler it is the easier you can find someone
to work on it... exceptions of course.


Phil Scott



Chas Hurst