Beware Of The 2013 Furnace Efficiency Law Scammers

When new laws are implemented there seems to be self-interpretations of the laws that people see dollar signs associated with.  If there is a way to scare people in believing that you have to do something now or suffer the consequences later, the scammers can and usually do figure it out.

Just yesterday, we received a call from a person that lives in a gated residential home subdivision that was frantic because she thought she was being forced to change her furnace because of the new furnace efficiency laws of 2013.  Single family home owners have nothing to fear. Townhome and condo homeowners have more of an issue then single family home owner.  She received a letter from the homeowners association president stating:

Pleased be advised that after May 2013, the United States government is mandating that all replaced furnaces must have a 90% efficiency rating versus the current 80% rating. Unfortunately this mandate requires that the 90% efficient furnaces cannot be vented into a common chimney used by other gas appliances or any other high efficient appliances. (This part is correct.)

It continues by saying:

This means you have to modify your home by installing a separate PVC vent pipe to the exterior of your home, which will greatly increase the cost of replacing your furnace. (Any high efficient furnace requires the usage of PVC piping for venting; only rare cases will the cost increase.)

The letter continues by stating:

If you should you need to replace your furnace do it before the deadline of May 2013,since you will still be allowed to use an 80% efficient furnace. This mandate is an outrageous government regulation and that you may want to write your Congress person and/or Senator asking them to modify this mandate based on the current recession this country is experiencing.

The terms “greatly increase the cost of replacing your furnace” is a bit exaggerated. A new high efficient furnace is more expensive than a 80% efficient furnace. The cost of a new washer and dryer is twice as much as the washers and dryer of old. Everything in life is just more expensive. A new high efficient furnace will reduce your gas bill by about 30% or even more depending upon your window type, the insulation factor of your home as well as if the furnace is sized correctly.

I have seen homeowners’ gas bills go down from $200 to $120 a month, and in some cases, I have even seen the gas bill go down to $90 a month. Every home is different though. However, in most basic single family homes, your new high efficient furnace will save you money and give you a ten year parts warranty and in some case a ten year labor warranty to boot. If your new high efficient furnace cost you $3200.00 to install and you save 30 to 50% on your gas bill, how long will it take for the furnace to pay for itself? (Remember we have about a 6 month heating season here in Chicago). The heat is much better, the blower motor is more efficient, free accessories come with the purchase as well as a utility bill rebate.

Be careful of the unscrupulous predators that are using this new law as a scare tactic! This is just the beginning of the 2013 Furnace Efficiency Law scammers. Have you received one of these letters yet? Has anyone tried to scare you using the 2013 Furnace Efficiency law?

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