"Robert11" wrote in message
...
Hello:

Would appreciate any information on the following:

Will be replacing a very old gas, forced hot air furnace with a new
"high-efficiency" type.

Have just read in the Audel's HVAC manuals that for a "high-efficiency"
type
of hot air
furnace, you do not vent thru the chimney (or via a metal vent pipe that
goes thru roof like we now have),
but rather you vent via a PVC pipe thru the side of the house. It wasn't
worded such that you might think that this is an an option, but rather
that
this is the (only) way to do it.

Has to do with the fact that the gas is not very hot from these types of
furnaces, and the condensate would flow back and ruin the furnace, etc.

Is it the "only" way ?

Is there a "mid-efficiency" forced gas hot air furnace that would enable
venting in the manner we now are doing it (thru the roof) ?

Sure don't want the expense of trying to configure a new vent thru the
back
side of the house !

If so, how would these "mid-efficiency" furnaces be designated: by SEER
Number, or... ?

Any thoughts on this would be most appreciated.

Thanks,
Bob

You can go through the chimney with an 80% eff. non-condensing furnace. With
the high eff. you not only need to go through the side of the house but
you'll also need a condensate pump and a means to get the condensate to an
area where it can be drained----I use my washing machine drain. If you go
through the side of the house and live in an area where you get a lot of
snow be sure that the vents are high enough off the ground so that there is
no chance of snow blockage. In the long run, there is a measurable cost
saving going with the higher eff. furnace.
MLD