There are several different types of furnaces available on the market today.  In our area, the two most common are gas furnaces and electric furnaces.  The basic way that a furnace operates is by having a heating element or heat exchanger that air blows over and goes through your duct work, heating your home.

Gas furnaces and propane furnaces work by burning fuel.  However, not all models are able to utilize the energy produced from the flame in the same ways.  A basic furnace these days is 80% efficient.  That means that for every $1.00 that you spend on heating your home, only 80 cents of that is actually being used to heat your home.  You’re losing 20 cents of that dollar!  However, higher efficiency furnaces are available and have become increasingly the choice for homeowners due to the decreased utility bills and impact on the environment.  The 95% efficiency furnace gives you 95 cents in heat for your home and only loses 5 cents on the dollar.  That’s a big difference!