1. Features – What is the furnace fuel efficiency (AFUE)? How many stages of heat does it have? Does it have a self-adjusting blower fan? Make sure to compare "apples-to-apples" (features-to-features) when looking at different brands.
   
   
2. Warranty – How long is the manufacturer’s standard warranty? The longer the warranty, the better the value. Length of warranty is also a good indication of product quality. If a manufacturer is willing to "put their money where their mouth is" so to speak by backing up their product, it is likely well built. Keep in mind that manufacturer’s warranties are for parts only, not labor costs in the event of a repair.
   
   
3. Price – Price alone doesn’t tell you whether the furnace brand is a good deal or not. A low priced brand doesn’t mean it is a good or bad product, and a high price doesn’t mean the brand will be high quality or not. However, when combined with feature and warranty information, pricing is very useful in selecting a brand. Your goal should be to select a furnace brand with the features and warranty you want at the lowest price.

WHAT'S GOING ON WITH R-22?   WHY ARE PRICES INCREASING?

1. IT HAS BEEN DETERMINED THAT R-22 REFRIGERANT DESTROYS THE OZONE LAYER OF THE EARTH WHICH PRESENTS A HEALTH HAZARD.
2. THE UNITED STATES SIGNED AN AGREEMENT WITH APPROXIMATELY EIGHTY OTHER COUNTRIES TO PHASE OUT OZONE DEPLETING REFRIGERANTS.
3. THE FIRST REFRIGERANTS TO BE PHASED OUT WERE THE CFC REFRIGERANTS (R-12, R-502, R-11, R-500, R-113, ETC.)  THIS PHASE OUT HAPPENED IN 1995 AND THE PRICE OF R-12 INCREASED FROM $30 DOLLARS PER 30 LB. CYLINDER TO OVER $1,000 DOLLARS PER 30 LB. CYLINDER.
4. THE HCFC REFRIGERANTS (R-22) PHASE OUT BEGAN JANUARY 1, 2003.  THE ESTIMATED SUPPLY AND DEMAND IN THE U.S. WAS BALANCED AT AN ESTIMATED 277,091 METRIC TONS PER YEAR PRIOR TO 2003.  UNLIKE THE CFC PHASE OUT WHERE BEGINNING IN 1995, THE MANUFACTURING AND/OR IMPORTING OF ALL CFC REFRIGERANTS (R-12, ETC.) WERE BANNED IN THE UNITED STATES, THE HCFC REFRIGERANT PHASE OUT IS A GRADUAL PHASE OUT OVER SIXTEEN YEARS 2003-2019.
5. BEGINNING IN 2003 AND CONTINUING THROUGH 2009, THE YEARLY SUPPLY OF R-22 WAS CUT 35% FROM THE ESTIMATED SUPPLY OF 277,091 METRIC TONS TO 180,109 METRIC TONS.  DURING THIS PERIOD DEMAND CONTINUES TO INCREASE DUE TO NEW HOME CONSTRUCTION, THE NEW REQUIRED ENERGY SAVINGS SEER SPECIFICATION FOR NEW AC EQUIPMENT, AND THE ON GOING SERVICING REQUIREMENTS.  THE NEW SEER REQUIREMENT ALONE INCREASES DEMAND BY AN ESTIMATED 30%.
6. FROM 2010 - 2014, THE YEARLY SUPPLY OF R-22 WILL BE CUT 75% TO 69,272 METRIC TONS.
7. FROM 2015 – 2019, THE YEARLY SUPPLY OF R-22 WILL BE CUT 90% TO 27,709 METRIC TONS AND BEGINNING 2020, THE YEARLY SUPPLY WILL BE CUT TO 0%.  THERE WILL BE NO NEW VIRGIN R-22 AVAILABLE IN THE UNITED STATES AFTER 2019 EXCEPT RECLAIMED R-22.

 SUMMARY

 THE MAJOR DIFFERENCE BETWEEN R-12 AND R-22 IS THE DEMAND FOR R-12 DECREASED IMMEDIATELY AFTER 1998 BECAUSE ALL OF THE NEW MODEL AUTOMOBILES BEGINNING IN 1995 USED R-134a.  TYPICALLY CONSUMERS PURCHASE NEW AUTOMOBILES EVERY THREE TO FIVE YEARS BUT IN THE CASE OF R-22, THE HOME THAT USES R-22 IN THE A/C SYSTEM WILL NEED R-22 SERVICING FOR TEN TO THIRTY YEARS LONGER THAN AUTOMOBILES NEEDED R-12 SERVICING.  IN OUR OPINION, THE YEARLY INCREASING DEMAND FOR R-22 WILL CONTINUE FOR MANY YEARS IN THE FUTURE.  THEREFORE, WE BELIEVE THAT BECAUSE OF THE INCREASING DEMAND AND DECREASING SUPPLY, THE PRICE OF R-22 WILL INCREASE EVERY YEAR THROUGH AT LEAST 2020.