Cooperative Living January 2019 - 36

EnergySense | by Pat Keegan and Brad Thiessen, Contributing Writers
Keeping the Home Fires Affordable:
Home Heating Options
D
D
ear Pat: I have high energy bills, especially during the
winter. My home is heated with a 20-year-old propane
furnace. To make matters worse, I've also been paying the
expenses on my mother's home, which is heated with electric
baseboards and wall heaters. Should I upgrade to a different kind
of system?
- Ryan
ear Ryan: You're really getting the double whammy,
especially if you live in a cold climate. Fortunately, you
have a few potential solutions.
A good first step, before making major changes to the heating
system, is to look at the area you're heating. The amount of heated
space and the efficiency of that space determine how large a
heating system you'll need. Air leaks and inadequate insulation
the Average Fuel Utilization
Efficiency or AFUE. This is
indicated on a label that may
still be attached to the
furnace. Your 20-year-old
unit might have an AFUE
in the 70- to 80-percent
range. A new highEnergy
Guide Labels
can be found on any
major appliance and
include information
on energy efficiency.
The heat pump described
here is ENERGY STAR approved.
Left: An energy
auditor can help
you weigh your
options before
making major
energy-efficiency
investments.
Right: Mini-split
heat pumps are
efficient options
for heating and
cooling. They are
typically installed
to heat and cool
the largest, most
used area of
a home.
might be a major cause of higher bills, and correcting these
problems might enable you to install a smaller heating system. An
energy audit will provide the answers you need and give you an
idea of how much you can save from weatherization measures and
a more efficient heating system. Contact your local electric
cooperative first to see if they offer energy audits or if they can
recommend an auditor.
Let's talk about heating systems. Propane furnaces are expected
to last 15 to 25 years, but if yours has been well-maintained, you
may get more mileage out of it. Even if your furnace is still
running well and has some life left in it, it may not be efficient.
The efficiency of propane, gas and oil furnaces is measured by
34 | Cooperative Living | January 2019
efficiency furnace can have an AFUE rating of more than 95
percent, which can reduce the portion of your propane bill that
goes toward heating by 15 to 20 percent. The AFUE doesn't
account for any heat escaping through poorly insulated or
improperly sealed pipes or furnace ducts, so you definitely want
those issues taken care of first.
Instead of replacing your old propane furnace with a new one,
you have two additional options. You could install an air-source
heat pump, which would use your existing ductwork, or a minisplit
heat pump, which can heat up to four rooms. In the past
decade, the efficiency of heat pumps has greatly improved, even to
the point where they are solid options even in colder climates.
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Cooperative Living January 2019

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