Gas furnace praised

I feel that I must respond to a recent column with some facts and figures regarding the efficiency of gas and oil. In 1974, we replaced an oil-burning furnace with a gas-fired furnace (140,000 Btu) which has an internal heat exchanger supplying domestic hot water.

My experience has been that the recovery of the hot water for both heat and the faucet is much faster with the gas plant than it was with the oil burner. This fact is also shared by five neighbors who have the same gas plant and the same type of house.

Another plus in favor of gas is that there is no fear of shortages or missed deliveries. The only maintenance is an annual brushing and vacuum cleaning of the burner.

Over a period of 24 years our average consumption of oil was 1,300 gallons a year for heating and hot water. For the past six years our average consumption of gas for heating, hot water, and cooking was 1,100 units (100 cubic feet) a year.

Here is the comparative cost of gas vs. oil at today's prices:

-- 1,300 gallons of oil at 92.6 cents a gallon, $1,203.80.

-- 1,100 units of gas at 55.5 cents for 100 cubic feet, $610.50.

My sincere appreciation for your interesting column. Arthur F. Lindeke Whitestone, N.Y.