When it comes to selecting a furnace for your home, you can choose between gas and electric models. But you also have to consider the efficiency of any furnace you choose. While there are minimum efficiency ratings in place to make sure that you get an effective furnace, there are also high-efficiency furnaces known to maximize energy use when producing heat for a home.
But does a high-efficiency furnace make that big of a difference compared to a standard model? When you need furnace installation in Waxahachie, TX, our team is here to help. We can talk to you about your furnace options and help you understand why a high-efficiency furnace might be the best choice. In the meantime, you can keep reading to learn more about furnace efficiency ratings and what they mean for your home and family.
Understanding AFUE Ratings
All heaters come with an AFUE rating. The rating system is designed to offer homeowners a way to compare heaters to both similar and different models before making an expensive investment. As a consumer, you also have an accurate idea of how much it will cost you to heat your home during the winter.
The lowest accepted AFUE rating in the United States is 80%. This means that 80% of the energy consumed by a heater hast to directly translate into heat for your home. This leaves 20% of the energy used being lost in the creation of heat. The higher the rating, the more energy is actually turned into heat for your home.
Energy Efficiency Considerations
A heater with a higher efficiency rating will use less energy overall compared to a less efficient model. One way to look at AFUE ratings is to consider that an 80% is giving you 80¢ out of every dollar in heat. A heater with 90% AFUE is giving you an extra 10¢ per dollar worth of heat.
This means that you wind up saving some money on heating your home since your unit will consume less energy as part of the heating process. And energy efficiency is not just good for saving you money on your monthly utility costs. An energy efficient heater will also have a longer lifespan since it will not have to work as hard to produce results for your home.
Better overall energy efficiency reduces strain on your heater, so that it doesn’t face as many problems over its lifespan. You still need to schedule an annual maintenance appointment with our team for your high-efficiency furnace, but you are likely to face fewer repair needs over the years.
Selecting a High Efficiency Furnace
A heater is considered high efficiency as long as it has a minimum AFUE rating of 90% or higher. Of course, you also have to consider that high-efficiency heaters can be more expensive to install up front. This cost easily balances out with the energy savings over the life of the unit, but it is still something to think about. Some homeowners do not have the extra money to spend upfront on installation.
Contact Republic Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc, today to schedule an appointment with our professionals. Revolutionizing the Customer Experience.