Round 2: Gas Furnace vs Wood / Coal Furnace

It's time to start round 2 of Signature Forum's Home Heating Tournament. Our first matchup is the #1 seed, Gas Furnaces, against the #5 seed, the old school team of Wood Furnaces and Coal Furnaces. Back in round one, the Gas Furnace proved to be far more practical than a set of space heaters, and the affordability of wood and coal-based heating took down Oil Furnaces. So, which heating system has what it takes to advance to our "Super Bowl of Warmth"?

Gas Furnace Wood/Coal Furnace

Gas Furnace

Most modern gas furnaces use an electronic ignition rather than an old fashioned pilot light, which has made this always popular heating system far more efficient. In fact, today's high efficiency condensing furnaces often garner an 80% to 90% Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE), compared to an average of about 65% for conventional warm air furnaces. With this in mind, it's important to remember that the Gas Furnace competing in this contest is one of those high efficiency models. If you have an older, conventional gas furnace, it's definitely time to upgrade. The installation costs will be made back in cash saved on heating bills. Plus, you'll be cutting down on pollution and still paying less than most electric furnaces.

Wood Furnace / Coal Furnace

Many people who still use wood and coal furnaces to heat their homes take a lot of pride in their choice. Others just haven't gotten around to upgrading yet. The fact is, using natural resources like wood and coal will save you huge amounts of money over the course of the year. Still, it's not as rosy as it may seem. No others heating systems require the constant upkeep and maintenance that fuel burners like coal furnaces and wood furnaces do. And in terms of environmental friendliness, they don't exactly rank near the top, either.

And the winner is. . .
It's a modern world, and somebody's gotta live in it. Today's Gas Furnaces get the job done. And so, the Gas Furnace advances to the final round of the Home Heating Tournament.