Energy costs being what they are these days – and are likely to remain – you might want to consider getting a new, high-efficiency furnace that may pay for itself rather quickly and then some. And by cutting the amount of heat you pump into the sky that your old furnace cannot capture for your home, you can make your own small contribution toward solving the global warming issue at the same time that you are saving money.

Older standard gas furnaces typically operate at a seasonal efficiency of about 60%. That means that only 60% of the heat you paid for winds up inside your home. The other 40% goes up your chimney and into the atmosphere.

Furnace efficiency is measured in terms of Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE). Furnaces are readily available today with AFUEs of 80% for non-condensing models; they

lose only 20% of the heat you paid for. High-efficiency condensing gas models operate at AFUEs in the mid-90s, up to 96.6%, less than 4% heat loss. (Condensing furnaces remove water from the combustion exhaust gases.) The colder the climate and the higher the utility rates, the higher the AFUE really should be.

You can save even more by switching to efficient natural gas from coal, oil or electricity. Natural gas is the most energy-efficient, cleanest- burning and cost-effective of all the major residential energy fuels. Industry experts predict that natural gas will continue to be the most cost-effective heat source in the future.

For information about potential cost savings in your own situation, call on your professional heating contractor.