How to Stop Throwing Hundreds of Dollars Out the Window Every Winter

That’s not a sales trick. That’s exactly what’s happening right now for hundreds of your neighbours in St. Catharines, Niagara Falls, Welland, Thorold, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Pelham, Fort Erie, and Grimsby who swapped their old furnace for a modern high-efficiency model.

I’m John Adams, owner of Niagara Home Heating, and I’ve been watching this play out in real homes since the first 95 % AFUE furnaces hit the market. I’ve seen the before-and-after gas bills. I’ve seen the after. And I still get goosebumps when a customer texts me in February saying, “John, my bill was $180 less this month — thank you!”

So let’s break this down like we’re sitting at your kitchen table: what’s actually happening inside your furnace, why the new ones are so much better, and exactly how much you can realistically expect to keep in your pocket.

First: The Dirty Truth About Older Furnaces

If your furnace was installed before 2010, there’s a 90 % chance it’s rated at 80 % efficiency or lower. Many homes we visit still have 60–75 % mid-efficiency units from the 90s and early 2000s.

Here’s what that really means:

For every $100 you pay Enbridge:

• Only $60–$80 turns into actual heat inside your house
• The other $20–$40 literally flies out the chimney as hot exhaust

That’s like filling your car with gas, watching 25–40 % of it leak onto the driveway, and saying “eh, it’s fine.”

A modern high-efficiency furnace is 95–98 % efficient (some even hit 98.7 %). That same $100 now delivers $95–$98 worth of heat. The difference goes straight back into your pocket.

Real-World Math From Real Niagara Homes

Here are four actual customers from the last two winters (names changed, numbers 100 % real):

1. Sarah – 1998-built raised ranch, Welland Old furnace: 80 % mid-efficiency, 100,000 BTU Average January bill: $420New furnace: 96 % Carrier Infinity, properly sized at 80,000 BTU + variable-speed Average January bill now: $245→ Savings: $175/month = $1,400–$1,600 over the season
2. Mike & Lisa – 1970s backsplit, St. Catharines Old furnace: 60 % efficiency (original builder-grade!)Average winter bill: $550–$600New furnace: 97 % Goodman, DC variable-speed Average winter bill now: $310→ Savings: $240–$290/month
3. Mario’s Restaurant – Lundy’s Lane, Niagara Falls Two old 80 % rooftop units Monthly gas bill in winter: $2,100Switched to two 96 % modulating units Monthly gas bill now: $1,350→ Business savings: $9,000+ per year
4. Dave – Century home, Niagara-on-the-Lake Oil furnace → new 97 % propane conversion Went from $750/month in oil to $280/month→ Paid for itself faster than his new truck

These aren’t cherry-picked outliers. This is normal when you do the job right.

The Two Biggest Money-Savers You’ve Probably Never Heard Of

1. Variable-Speed ECM (DC) Blowers Old furnaces use a basic AC motor that runs at one speed: full blast. It’s like driving with the gas pedal floored or nothing at all. Modern ECM motors (Electronically Commutated Motor) are DC-powered and can run at any speed from 20 % to 100 %. That means:
   • Gentler, more even heat (no cold blasts)
   • Way quieter operation
   • Massive electricity savings because the fan isn’t guzzling 600–800 watts every time it runs
   Real savings: $150–$350 per year on your Hydro One bill in addition to the gas savings.
2. Modulating or Two-Stage Gas Valves Instead of ON (100 %) or OFF (0 %), these furnaces can run at 40 %, 70 %, 100 %, etc., depending on how cold it is.
3. Result: longer run times at lower intensity = better humidity control, fewer temperature swings, and even more gas savings.

Why Right-Sizing Matters More Than the Efficiency Sticker

Here’s where most people get hosed.

A lot of companies still size furnaces the old-fashioned way: “Your old one was 100,000 BTU, so we’ll give you 100,000 BTU.”

But if your home now has better windows, added insulation, or you finished the basement, you probably only need 70,000–80,000 BTU.

An oversized high-efficiency furnace still short-cycles, wastes energy, and dies younger — just less dramatically than an old one.

Every single Niagara Home Heating installation includes a proper Manual J load calculation. We measure windows, insulation, orientation, everything. The result? You get the perfectly sized furnace that runs longer, quieter, and cheaper.

Bonus Ways a New Furnace Saves You Money (Even in Summer)

• Built-in advanced air filtration → fewer allergies, less dusting
• Better humidity control → your AC doesn’t have to work as hard
• Smart thermostat compatibility → set it and forget it, or control from your phone
• Federal/provincial rebates still available on many models (we handle the paperwork)

The “Secret” Savings Nobody Talks About

1. Fewer repairs Old furnaces break every year. New ones? Most of our customers don’t see us again (except for tune-ups) for 8–10 years.
2. Higher home resale value Appraisers and home inspectors love a new high-efficiency system. It’s like adding a renovated kitchen for resale appeal.
3. Peace of mind New furnaces have Wi-Fi diagnostics. If something starts going wrong, we often know before you do — and fix it before you’re left in the cold.

What Happens If You Do Nothing?

Let’s say your furnace is 18 years old and “still running. ”Every year you keep it:

• You lose $800–$1,500 in wasted energy You risk a $4,000–$6,000 emergency replacement when it dies on the coldest night You breathe more dust, allergens, and possibly carbon monoxide from a cracked heat exchanger

I’ve seen it too many times. Don’t be that call at 2 a.m. in January.

Your Next Step (It Costs Nothing and Saves Everything)

Pick up the phone and call or text me personally at (289) 228-2688 and say, “John, show me how much I can save.”

I’ll come out (free, no pressure) and:

• Look at your current furnace and gas bills
• Run a full heat-loss calculation on your house
• Show you real numbers — what you’re spending now vs. what you’d spend with a properly sized 95–98 % system
• Give you good/better/best options with real brands and model numbers

Most people have a new furnace installed within 2–3 weeks of that visit — and start saving the very first bill.