Reduce your carbon footprint and save up
	to 60% on your home heating costs!

The essential difference in the design of new high-efficiency units is how they are vented, eliminating the need for dilution air. The combustion of natural gas produces certain by-products, including water vapour and carbon dioxide. In a conventional gas furnace, such by-products are vented through a chimney, but a considerable amount of heat (both in the combustion products and in heated room air) also escapes through the chimney at the same time. Heat is also lost up the chimney when the furnace is off. The newer designs have been modified to increase energy efficiency by reducing the amount of heated air that escapes during both the on and off cycles and by extracting more of the heat contained in the combustion by-products before they are vented.

In 1995, the government raised the minimum required efficiency of new furnaces to 78%. Most furnaces installed before this time were only 60-70% efficient, and very old furnaces can be less than 50% efficient. A continuously burning pilot light can decrease these efficiencies by another 5%. New Lennox furnaces are 80% to 95% efficient. They do not have pilot lights and can reduce your heating costs by up to 40%.

	Government rebates are available on
	high-efficiency furnaces.

Rebates are available from both the provincial LiveSmart BC and the federal ecoENERGY program. Amounts range from $550 off a 90% efficient single stage furnace up to $1270 off a 95% efficient variable speed furnace. See our grants & rebates page for details.