Keeping your furnace efficient will save money on energy costs and keep your family comfortable all winter long. In principle, furnaces and boilers all work the same way, heating air or water and distributing the heat to different parts of the home. An annual inspection of your heating system will help keep the operation of your furnace efficient and reliable.
Understanding the AFUE rating
New federal efficiency regulations for weatherized furnaces will go into effect on January 1, 2015. The annual fuel utilization efficiency, or AFUE, is the key to conforming to those new rules. The rating measures how well fuel is transformed into heat; furnaces which comply can save as much as 6% on your annual heating fuel. Routine maintenance will keep a newer furnace efficient, but older models were never designed for the new high efficiency standards.
A quick comparison of heating efficiency
A furnace efficient under older guidelines cannot measure up to the savings of a newer model. It was made with different manufacturing standards and without the special fuel-conserving components that are industry standard today. An older minimum efficiency unit might use natural air flow for combustion, while a new model uses a special heat exchanger to condense gases and save fuel. Look for a maximum AFUE rating of around 70 percent with the old system, and as much as 98.5 percent with energy saving models.
The economics of retrofit versus replacement
Older systems can be upgraded to increase efficiency and safety. A rule of thumb is that systems which are close to 15 years old may not be cost effective to upgrade. A qualified technician can help you determine whether you can make your furnace efficient or if you should replace it.
Evaluating the furnace is not a task the average homeowner. Instead, you should enlist the assistance of a company with qualified technicians, specialized tools, and decades of experience servicing heaters and furnaces in your area. Marsh Heating & Air Conditioning has been serving the twin cities since 1974, so call or contact us to keep your furnace safe and efficient.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about furnace efficiency and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
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