Furnace Prices and payback

New high-efficiency furnaces aren’t significantly more expensive than mid-efficient models. You can pay something around $1000 or $2000 more for a high-efficient gas furnace, which can be rapidly recovered through fuel savings.

Besides, in some states there are rebates that may cover much of that higher cost of high-efficient furnaces.

Prices of wall and floor furnaces

Wall furnaces (not requiring ductwork) are relatively cheap units ($500-$700, for new efficient gas furnaces), but their installation may well double that price.

Consider other cheaper and often more environmentally-friendly solutions for room, namely: Gas stoves and Inserts.

Prices of mid-efficiency gas fired central furnaces

Never replace an outdated furnace with a furnace with a low or medium efficiency (less than 85%). A medium or low efficient furnace will cost you less in terms of initial investment, but will be environmentally-unfriendly and will cost you a lot more in terms of future fuel bills.

Prices of mid-efficient gas furnaces about $2,000 -$4,000 are common, but installation costs may equal that value.

Prices of high efficiency gas furnaces

Replacing outdated central gas furnaces with high-efficiency ones (above 90%), maintaining the existing ductwork may cost you about $3,000 - $6,000. Installation costs around $2000-$4000 are common, namely if the installation requires a chimney liner.

Prices of efficiency oil furnaces

The replacing cost of an old oil furnace is very similar to that of a gas furnace. It all depends on installation details (remodeling or removing old fuel oil tanks, etc).

Payback

If your heating costs are high, replacing outdated furnaces with an highly efficient new one, will certainly involve a short payback: 4-5 years are common for high heating bills. But the exact payback period will always depend on a large set of features: type and efficiency of the old and the new furnace, local energy costs and climate.

Alternatives to furnaces

Before deciding to purchase a new (even if high efficient) furnace, based on their prices or other criteria, pay attention to the alternatives and some important backgrounds:

- a well insulated house will demand a smaller furnace (or other heating appliance or system), and will save you energy and money. Sealing any air leaks and ducts, adding insulation and replacing inefficient windows and doors, is compulsory.

- Wood-pellet and corn furnaces are environmental and economical direct alternatives to other more common furnaces.

- in well insulated homes, even in very cold climates gas stoves and gas fireplaces inserts are excellent alternatives to central heating systems based on furnaces (consider also: Direct-vent wall gas furnaces ).

- do not forget also, other radical and environmental alternatives like solar-powered systems, solar passive principles (for new homes) or geothermal heat-pumps.