If you’re looking for a new furnace or boiler, or just trying to decide if it’s time to replace your current one, you’ll want to gain an understanding of AFUE ratings. The acronym, which stands for “annual fuel utilization efficiency,” measures how well heating appliances convert energy into heat. If a furnace or boiler is rated at 83 percent, that means 83 percent of the fuel energy it uses is converted into heat. The remaining 17 percent essential goes to waste.
These AFUE scores are important for a number of reasons. First and foremost, they have a direct impact on your household finances. The less energy your HVAC appliances waste, the less money you end up spending on monthly utility bills. On top of that, furnaces and boilers that are more fuel-efficient are significantly less likely to break down or need major repairs. Partly due to their sealed combustion heating methods, certain new furnaces can sport AFUE ratings as high as 97 percent, while as recently as 10 years ago none were rated much higher than 80 percent.
Furnaces with better rated fuel-efficiency are also less harmful to the environment, and often perform more effectively in heating your home. Because of these benefits and the demand for “green” appliances, these new, fuel-efficient furnaces and boilers can be fairly expensive. However, if you can afford to make the investment, the long-term savings will allow your new heating system to eventually pay for itself.
So, if you’re looking for long-term savings and environmental friendliness in your HVAC appliances, don’t discount AFUE ratings. They may not seem so important in the short term, but they will have a big impact on your finances down the road. Getting professional advice is always a good idea in considering a household upgrade, and you can acquire such help in the Dayton area by contacting us at Ace Hardware Home Services, Inc.
Our goal is to help educate our customers 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.
Ace Hardware Home Services services the Ohio’s Miami Valley. Visit our websiteto see our special offers and get started today!
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