Need a new Furnace, don't know what to decide.

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Need a new Furnace, don't know what to decide.

Nate S.
Real Estate Investor · plattsmouth, NE · Member since 2008 · 94 posts · 11 votes

Apparently I'm having a major Electric furnace problems since my Electric bill in December and January was $657. The worst part, the house is vacant, it is being bio washed, remodeled. at the moment.  The house was built in 1977, so it has original furnace since then.

I got a local heater & ac local guy to drop by, who does rehabbing himself said changers are bad like turning it off and on. Told me since I plan to rent it out, defiantly go Gas which most of the landlords do. Even said the gas company would come out, install a gas line straight to it with no cost(too good to be true) All he does is install the gas meter & new AC unit for $6k. There is a daycare next to my house which has a gas meter. I don't know if he is trying make a buck off of me because I'm new to this.Told him I'll give it some thought, not rushing on any big decisions such as this. 

I keep reading go gas because during winter because the Electric bill will be too high and may have some vacant units. Then my friend who owns actual house in town, equivalent to my size only paid $150/month for electric bill in the winter. He spent like $1k on a new electric furnace, installment was $4k. Even said, more and more people are going Electric, gas is becoming a thing of the past. 

Is it best to just buy a new Electric furnace go with that route or installing gas? I don't know what to decide on this. Just seems electric is far more simple, more likely less costly since it is already electric. 

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Jeffrey VanGilder
Enfield, CT · Member since 2017 · 73 posts · 26 votes
9y
Down south I would think you should have a heat pump. Heating and cooling all in one system. The new ones are capable of producing 100% rated heating capacity down to 17° which should be fine for you in Georgia. Just make sure the contractor runs a heat load/loss calculation to properly size your system. Over sizing is not a good thing to do, find a hvac contractor that will do the calculations and then your unit will run more efficiently.
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  • Jeffrey VanGilder
    Enfield, CT · Member since 2017 · 73 posts · 26 votes
    9y
    Down south I would think you should have a heat pump. Heating and cooling all in one system. The new ones are capable of producing 100% rated heating capacity down to 17° which should be fine for you in Georgia. Just make sure the contractor runs a heat load/loss calculation to properly size your system. Over sizing is not a good thing to do, find a hvac contractor that will do the calculations and then your unit will run more efficiently.
    1Reply
  • Nate S.
    OP
    Real Estate Investor · plattsmouth, NE · Member since 2008 · 94 posts · 11 votes
    9y

    I'm in Nebraska, you just made me realize my profile still says Columbus, GA. Lol.  I was in Georgia for 3 years at Ft. Benning. Both states have similar heat but GA has more humidity. At the moment I'm trying to go on budget because I just got out of the military. So get a head load/loss cal? what is Hvac, I heard about Hvac scams. I'm trying to find something on budget for now, durable, won't skyrocket my electric bill and tenants can afford as well. 

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  • Kyle Godbout
    Investor · Omaha, NE · Member since 2015 · 366 posts · 184 votes
    9y
    If mud would set you up with service for free, I would go with gas. However, if you had to pay for that I would just go electric again. I have never had a tenant ask me if the furnace was gas or electric in the past 7 years.
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  • Jeff Keller
    Palo Alto, CA · Member since 2017 · 226 posts · 95 votes
    9y

    The only defect I could imagine dramatically affecting electric heating would be poor air circulation. An electric heating element isn't going to become less efficient, it is just whether the heated air gets to where it is supposed to go. If your heating system ducts have air leaks, replacing your furnace with a gas furnace isn't going to be the best solution.

    I've known landlords who've had a rental property and the neighbor to the property ran an extension cord from his home to the rental.

    The most common HVAC (heating ventilation air conditioning) scam is to clean your heating ducts. If you have allergy problems, cleaning the air ducts might help. If you want you furnace to be more efficient, make certain your air filter is clean, and your ducts don't have leaks.

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  • Nate S.
    OP
    Real Estate Investor · plattsmouth, NE · Member since 2008 · 94 posts · 11 votes
    9y

    I changed out the filter a month ago, ill change it out again. How do I check if it has air leaks? My eletricity bill was insanely high. I suspected my neighbors taking a extension cord stealing my power but there is only one outlet outside at the porch door. The stairs to the porch support is half broken. 

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  • Daniel O.
    Investor · Takoma Park, MD · Member since 2016 · 166 posts · 147 votes
    9y

    In the long run, gas is likely to be less expensive and more reliable. You need to figure out what has changed to make the bill sky rocket. Could a pipe have come loose so that warm air isn't getting to the thermostat area? Could the thermostat be defective? Is it one of those programmable digital thermostats? If so, check to make sure it isn't scheduled to warm the place up to occupation temps when nobody is living there.  Oh, and I'm sure you are already on this, but make sure you don't have a window open somewhere.  HVAC = heating, ventilation, air conditioning.

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  • Don Meinke
    Investor · Northeast, NE · Member since 2015 · 258 posts · 83 votes
    9y

    electric rates in Nebraska is among the highest in the nation when not long ago the cheapest.  hi eff gas furnace is way less cost.  Vented with the 2 PVC 2" pipes.  Chimneys are also energy wasters as its like leaving a window or door open all winter,,,its always flueing warm air and dropping cold air within.  I see several putting gas services into Omaha houses that had none.  My highest gas bill this winter was less than 80 bucks,,,wish my electric was as low.

    If you have an unused chimney like in an older house seal it tighly top and bottom,,or remove it

    On your house who controls the temp? Also when they went to smart meters here the bills literally doubled

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  • Nate S.
    OP
    Real Estate Investor · plattsmouth, NE · Member since 2008 · 94 posts · 11 votes
    9y

    I'm starting to think it's the digital thermostat being the defective, it's always giving me problems. It is a basic digital thermostat. I set it on schedule of 50 degrees in the house just to keep the pipes from freezing. Then come into the house, it's warm as hell of being 70, one time almost 80, I'm like wtf. I just remember the Heater & AC guys said changer was burned out like turning it off and on. So I have to use the breaker to just shut off the furnace which is getting ridiculous. Only reason I'm turning the heat on in the first place so the pipes won't freeze, even though I shut off the water but didn't drain the pipes since I had to go back to Italy at the time. 

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  • Jeffrey VanGilder
    Enfield, CT · Member since 2017 · 73 posts · 26 votes
    9y
    I work in the hvac field and several companies offer home energy audits. They will come in and check for insulation values of door windows and walls, air leaks in the structure using a blower door test and also a duct leakage test. Usually this is offered at a low cost and they will give you a write up of their findings. Also I know lingo changes but the only "changers" I know of in a furnace is a heat exchanger. And if that is bad then you need to replace it. Also may want to look at other professional heating technicians to work on your property. Good luck.
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  • Adam Giles
    Rental Property Investor · Flagstaff AZ · Member since 2016 · 64 posts · 49 votes
    9y

    I agree with @Jeffrey VanGilder. It sounds like an audit is a good idea for many of the reasons mentioned already. Even if you do end up spending the 6k, you will want to fix all of the contributing problems (poor air circulation, insulation, leaking, etc) while the work is already being done. 

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  • Jim Adrian
    Architect · Papillion, NE · Member since 2015 · 1k+ posts · 840 votes
    9y

    @Nate S.

    To check for duct leakage you use a smoke machine like you see at Halloween time.  They also sell smoke bombs for testing at hvac supply houses as well.    Natural gas is a better system than electric.  Make some calls to see what a gas line would cost.  Once you have gas to the house this give you the option for gas water heater, stove, fire place and dryer.   Energy audits are good to.  I think they run about $150 for the blower door test.  As for thermostats like the Honeywell higher end ($200 range) models.  I have heard go things about Nest as well but don't have one. Yes prices but ease of use, quick programing, filter reminders and wifi apps make them worth it.

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