
When you’re
choosing a furnace, one of the first factors you should consider is its energy efficiency.
The efficiency of your furnace will drastically affect your heating costs,
and if you are committed to living a green lifestyle, then the efficiency
of your furnace plays a major role. The benefits of owning an energy-efficient
heating system could make it worthwhile to replace your older furnace.
What do the efficiency ratings on furnaces mean, and what should you look
for your home? Here are the facts you need to know.
Furnace efficiency is measured using AFUE.
To check the efficiency of a furnace, you need to check its AFUE rating.
AFUE stands for annual fuel-utilization efficiency, and it represents
the minimum amount of fuel that is used to heat your home. Old furnaces
can have AFUE ratings that go as low as 56%, but some new furnaces have
ratings of 99%, making them dramatically more efficient.
AFUE doesn’t account for heat loss.
Heat loss, through poorly sealed ducts and pipes, also has a significant
impact on the efficiency of your heating, though AFUE does not account
for this. Even if you have a furnace with a high AFUE rating, heat loss
can diminish its efficiency by causing it to run more often than it would
otherwise have to. According to the Department of Energy, this kind of
heat loss may be responsible for up to
35% of your heating costs, so seal any cracks around ducts and pipes to mitigate this risk.
Upgrading to a newer furnace could save you money.
Despite the initial cost of getting a new furnace, upgrading to a model
with a better AFUE rating can save you money. If you have an older furnace
with a 60% AFUE, you could save $33.33 for every $100 of heating costs.
You will also significantly reduce carbon dioxide emissions.
Let the experts at Albert Nahman Plumbing & Heating in Berkeley help
you select the right furnace for your home, so you can maximize the energy
efficiency of your system and save money on your heating costs. For more
information, call us today at (510) 843-6904.