When our homeowner in Ocean View decided to replace his old HVAC system, he learned a little research can go a long way. He already had a good idea of what he needed to get an upgrade from his old system, rather than just replacing it. And, he learned about ways to save money doing so.

As a result, our Comfort Now tech quickly found the best products for this Ocean View two-story, single-family home. We also worked with him to realize all those potential savings from improving his heating and air conditioning system.

Problem: Homeowner wanted to replace a 25-year-old heating and cooling system with a cost-saving, energy-efficient one.

Solution: Replace a Carrier 80-percent AFUE system with Two-Stage, 95-percent AFUE Carrier Performance Series Natural Gas Furnace, a SEER Carrier Comfort Series outdoor condenser and Rinnai tankless water heater.

When this Ocean View homeowner first called Comfort Now, he knew that if he upgraded his old system from an 80-percent AFUE one to a 95-percent system, he could qualify for some heavy-duty rebates through the Energy Star Program from South Jersey Gas. This was a great start, and our tech walked him through finding just the right models to fit his needs.

Boilers and Water Heaters Before & After

First, let’s go through some specs. AFUE is “annual fuel utilization efficiency.” It measures how much of the gas your furnace uses actually heats your home versus how much just becomes exhaust. So, twenty percent of fuel in the old 80-percent model in Oceanview was exhaust. In the new one, just five percent of the fuel is lost through exhaust.

Less waste is better for the environment, of course. But it’s also easier on your wallet when it takes less gas to do the job your old heater did. And, it’s even more satisfying when a new, upgraded system heats a home faster and more evenly than an aging one.

Next is the tankless water heater, also called “demand-type” or “instantaneous” water heaters. They quickly heat the water directly once a tap is turned on, instead of using a lot of energy just to keep a large tank full of water at the temperature you want it.

Tankless heaters cost more to buy than regular water heaters, but they lower your energy bills because they don’t use as much gas or electricity. They also last a long time, usually twenty years or more, instead of ten or fifteen for regular water heaters. This homeowner was a forward thinker, and went for the long-term savings. You can also see from the pictures above, they take up far less room in your home! 

To top it all off, the Ocean View single-family home now has a SEER outdoor condenser for central air. SEER, or “seasonal energy efficiency ratio” measures how efficient the unit is over the entire cooling. The higher the rating, the less energy it uses over less-efficient models to get the same results. Older systems are usually around a five; good new ones start at ten. This home’s new condenser is rated sixteen, meaning it’s consuming less energy than average new systems to do the same job.

Air Conditioning Before & After

All that adds up to savings. This single-family home in Ocean View used to average $400 a month in energy costs. Now, that number’s down to $250.

For a little more instant gratification, along with saving $150 every month, Comfort Now made sure the homeowner got the rebates he was eyeing up when he began the project. The total? $1,200 in rebates through the New Jersey Gas Energy Star Program.

That just goes to show how far you can go with a little extra work.