Furnace Efficiency Ratings and What They Mean

January 21, 2017

There are many things to consider when you purchase a new replacement furnace:

How much is your budget for a new furnace?
How much are you looking to spend on monthly heating bills?
Does anyone living in the home have respiratory ailments?
Which type and size system do you require to heat your size of home?

But have you ever took into consideration your furnace efficiency rating? Are you sure what it means?

Chief/Bauer Service Experts is here to help clear up any confusion with what the furnace efficiency rating is and the effects is can have on your home and your budget.

The furnace efficiency rating helps establish how much energy is required to heat your home and, ultimately, how much it will cost you. Essentially, the higher your furnace efficiency rating the less energy your heating equipment requires to heat your home.

The AFUE (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency) rating is the value that tells you how much heat the furnace will provide compared to the amount of energy used to produce the heat. For example, if your furnace has a AFUE rating of 80%, this means 20% of energy used is lost and 80% actually becomes heat for your home.

Note that this rating does not include the potential heat lost through leaking or improperly installed duct work or attic insulation. The duct work in each home is different – some good quality, some poorer, so the AFUE rating does not include this in their rating. If you feel that your heating system or duct system is not energy efficient, give your Champaign installation experts a call today and we will provide you with a free in-home analysis and help you find out how much more energy and money you could potentially save each month.

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