When people think of furnaces, they often think of big, noisy contraptions that cost a lot of money to run and maintain.

The truth is that today’s new high-efficiency furnaces can save a homeowner up to 50 percent in operating costs over a ten-year-old furnace. Many 1990 and earlier model furnaces have Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE) ratings of 65 percent or less.

Compare that to today, when the minimum AFUE for any furnace sold in the United States is 80 percent (many top-line models even go up to nearly 97 percent). In short, today’s furnaces are not like your grandfather’s furnace. They’re energy-efficient, cost-effective, and, with the proper maintenance, can have very long life spans.