Furnaces are an important part of many American homes. They provide heat for you and your family, and no one wants to be without one during the cold weather. That being said, if you don’t make an informed decision when purchasing one, it could end up costing you a lot more money than necessary. That’s why it’s so important to understand AFUE, or annual fuel utilization efficiency ratings. These ratings measure how well a furnace or boiler converts energy into heat. For example, if a furnace has an AFUE rating of 75 percent, that means it successfully converts 75 percent of the energy it uses into heat. The remaining 25 percent simply goes to waste.
Not only is that wasted energy bad for the environment, but it also ends up costing you extra money when the heating bills come around. The newest, most energy-efficient heating systems available today generally have AFUE ratings of around 95 to 98 percent, while as recently as 10 or 15 years ago, the norm was closer to 75 or 80. So, if your home is still running on a furnace you bought in 2001, there’s a good chance you could save a significant amount of money by upgrading to a newer model. As an example, if you were to go from an 80 percent AFUE rated furnace to a new 97 percent rated one, you would immediately cut 17 percent off of your monthly heating bills. While the initial investment can be intimidating, it’s virtually guaranteed to pay off in the long run.
So, if you’re currently looking for a new furnace, or just trying to decide whether it’s time to replace your old one, make sure to keep your new-found knowledge of AFUE ratings in mind. It might not seem all that important right now, but it’s sure to have a major impact on your finances down the road. For these types of household considerations in the Yuma area, consider calling up the friendly folks at Hansberger Refrigeration and Electric Company.
Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about furnaces and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
Hansberger Refrigeration & Electric Co services the Yuma area in Arizona. Visit our website to see our special offers and get started today!