Furnace Efficiency Ratings and What They Mean

January 21, 2017

There are a lot of variables to consider when you purchase a new replacement furnace:

  • What is your budget for a new furnace?
  • How much can you afford each month in heating bills?
  • Do you have anyone in the home with respiratory issues?
  • What size system will you need to heat your size of home?

But have you ever took into consideration your furnace efficiency rating? Do you know what it means?

Church Services is here to help clear up any confusion with what the furnace efficiency rating is and what it means for your home and your budget.

The furnace efficiency rating helps calculate how much energy you will need to heat your home and, ultimately, how much it will cost you. Simply put, the higher your furnace efficiency rating the less energy your furnace uses to heat your home.

The AFUE (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency) rating is the figure that reflects how much heat the furnace will provide compared to the amount of energy used to produce the heat. An example, if your heating equipment has a AFUE rating of 85%, this means 15% of energy used is lost and 85% actually becomes heat for your home.

 
Annual fuel utilization efficiency rating 
 
Keep in mind that this rating does not take into account the potential heat lost through leaking or incorrectly installed duct work or attic insulation. The duct work in every home is different – some high quality, some poorer, so the AFUE rating does not factor this into their rating. If you are concerned that your furnace or duct system is not energy efficient, give your Houston installation experts a call today and we will provide you with a free in-home analysis and help you determine how much more energy and money you could be saving each month.