On Saturday, November 24, 2012 8:02:06 AM UTC-5, HeyBub wrote:
"Replacing an aging furnace could cost homeowners thousands of dollars more

after May 1, when new federal energy efficiency standards take effect for

northern states, including New Jersey. The new energy-efficient natural gas

furnaces aren�t that much more expensive themselves, but they must be vented

directly to an outside wall rather than through the chimney, which can

increase installation costs dramatically ..."



Similar rules will latch in for A/C in the southern climates.



http://www.northjersey.com/news/berg....html?page=all



But, but, but ... it's for the CHILDREN !

Im the owner of New England Heating and Cooling. My name is robert, and
my website address is http://www.newenglandheatingandcooling.com i've been in this bussiness for 20 years and i must disagree about cost on new 95% vs 80% AFUE furnace. First of all 95 and 96 % are very different from one another in cost and function. A 80% furnace with an output of 80,000 btu's will cost around 850$ and is around 600-800 to install. a 95 is a single stage furnace with an ecm motor in the blower section. This ECM motor is a huge cost upgrade and the control board to run it is also very costly. these motors start quiet and run on d.c. voltage and can cost up to 600$ alone. this 95% afue furnace is between 1200 and 1400. the 96 is a fully modulating burner furnace and an ECM motor combined. this furnace can run 1700-2500 depending on size and model#. it also requires a communicating thermostat that will run 150$ and the pvc venting associated with all 90+ units. after labor a 96% AFUE furnace can run 4000 if you have an inspection from the town. Your local inspectional services requires an electrician to installb a hard wired CO detector and the line voltage, a plumber for the gas line, and an hvac sheet metal mechanic to pull a mechanical permit for the ductwork. dont forget a condensate pump and a way to (legaly) discharge the condensate into the homes plumbing (it cant go outside due to the unit running in the winter and it could freeze, and some towns require an acid neutrilizer to be compliant with code. This is not a small job as it was so easily satted in the last post. as a matter of fact, venting is a small part of the increased cost of the higher efficiency furnaces mandated by the end of the year.. if anyone has any questions about this issue feel free to call us at 781-535-2045 and we will try to help. Robert