| #ffffff;" /> | | | | were made and to gauge your new efficiency level. |
| A new furnace is a major investment, but various | | | | Consult the NRCan Website for a list of licensed |
| federal and provincial government incentives are | | | | companies. |
| helping homeowners offset a good portion of the | | | | Installing Your New Furnace |
| costs. Before installing your new furnace, be sure to | | | | Once your energy audit is complete, you can speak |
| have a home energy audit done by a qualified firm. | | | | to your local HVAC company to select a new |
| Without it, you can’t claim your refund. | | | | high-efficiency furnace. |
| Assessing Your Current Home Heating System | | | | To qualify for a grant, you need to complete the |
| According to Natural Resources Canada (NRCan), | | | | work within 18 months of your first energy audit. |
| 17% of the energy used in Canada today is used to | | | | HVAC companies can get busy at certain times of |
| run our homes. Within the home, nearly 50% of that | | | | the year, so don’t wait until the last minute. |
| energy goes towards heating and cooling. Clearly, | | | | Your HVAC dealer will help you decide on a new |
| greater efficiency in our home heating and cooling | | | | furnace. There are many makes and models to |
| systems can save us money and help reduce our | | | | choose from, so a professional can help you make |
| energy consumption. | | | | the right choice. Here are few factors to consider: |
| NRCan recommends the use of Energy Star | | | | • Size – You need a furnace that suits |
| (high-efficiency) furnaces to help control heating | | | | the size of your home. Too much furnace will be a |
| costs and reduce harmful carbon dioxide emissions. | | | | waste of money, and too little will leave you cold. |
| An Energy Star furnace has an annual fuel utilization | | | | • Two-stage heating – Two-stage |
| efficiency (AFUE) rating of 90% or more, compared | | | | furnaces work at a lower level until the temperature |
| to 60% in older furnace models. According to | | | | drops by a significant amount. These furnaces are |
| Alberta’s Climate Change Central website, a | | | | usually quieter too. |
| new Energy Star furnace can also reduce annual fuel | | | | • Variable speed DC motor – Running |
| costs by up to 30%. | | | | on a lower fan speed most of the time, furnaces |
| Before you contact your local HVAC specialist to | | | | with a DC motor save energy and run more quietly. |
| inquire about a new furnace, make sure you follow | | | | If you install a new furnace with an AFUE rating of |
| the procedures required to qualify you for | | | | 92% or higher and a variable DC motor, you can get |
| government rebates. The first step is to get an | | | | a $500 rebate from the federal government, and |
| energy audit done by a licensed, independent energy | | | | may be eligible for additional rebates from your |
| advisor. | | | | province. With new incentives promised in the most |
| The simple assessment outlines the steps that you | | | | recent federal budget, you may be eligible for even |
| can take to improve the energy efficiency in your | | | | more savings. |
| home. It also provides a benchmark efficiency level | | | | New Furnace, More Cash on Hand |
| for you to use when seeking grants, many of which | | | | We’re all looking for ways to save money, |
| are based on the amount of improvement in your | | | | but it’s even better if we can save money |
| home’s energy efficiency. After | | | | and help the environment at the same time. With |
| you’ve done your retrofits, a second | | | | governments prepared to help with the costs, now is |
| assessment will be done to prove that the changes | | | | the time to consider a new furnace. |