Is it Better to Buy a High-Efficiency or a Mid-Efficiency Gas Furnace?
Surveys in the last several years show that the incremental cost to purchase a High-Efficiency gas furnace over a Mid-Efficiency model is in the order of $300 to $1,000. Given the gas prices through the 1990s, this price increase would take five or more years to pay back through the lower operating costs of High-Efficiency furnaces. As natural gas prices increase, it becomes increasingly easier to recommend High-Efficiency appliances. Other reasons for choosing High-Efficiency appliances include their lack of chimney, their ability to operate safely in newer, airtight housing (where chimney performance can be affected by negative pressures), and the apparent longevity of their plastic venting systems.
