How to Choose an Energy Efficiency Furnace to Get Savings That Actually Matter
We all wish we had more money. So we cut back on certain niceties here or there.
We go without our morning coffee for the greater good of saving money. But then we become frustrated when cutting back gives us only marginal results.
Stop cheating yourself out of the small things you enjoy in life only to save a marginal amount of money. It’s more efficient to make a few “big wins” in savings rather than several small insignificant wins.
One “big win” is to have a lower heating bill each year, which takes up a almost a third (29%) of your utility bill.
You can significantly lower your heating bill, especially if you have a furnace that’s over 15 years old, by installing an energy efficient furnace.
So, how do you choose an energy efficient furnace? That’s what we’ll be discussing here.
Choosing an energy efficient furnace
Furnace energy efficiency is measured by the AFUE rating. This stands for Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency.
In layman’s terms, it tells you the percentage of fuel that actually heats your home. The rest goes up the flue as exhaust.
For example, if you have a furnace that’s about 15 years old, the AFUE is probably around 60%. This means that out of all the fuel you’re paying for to heat your home, only 60% is actually heating your home, and the other 40% is lost up the flue.
Converting the AFUE rating into your “big win” savings
To make cents out of the AFUE rating, think about it like this:
If your furnace’s AFUE is 60%, then for every dollar you spend fueling your furnace, only $.60 of that dollar heats your home, and the other $.40 is lost in the combustion process.
To see how much you can save from upgrading to a higher efficiency furnace, check out this chart from Energy.gov.
As you can see, if you have an older furnace, upgrading to a higher efficiency furnace gives you huge savings in the long run.
A quick example from this chart would be upgrading from a 60% AFUE rated furnace to a 90% rated furnace. For every $100 you’d normally spend on your old furnace, you’ll save $37.50.
Find your furnace’s AFUE rating and see how much money you’d save by upgrading. Something tells us the amount you’ll save is way more than you’d ever save by cutting back on your morning coffee.
Getting professional help
While energy efficiency is an important factor in choosing a furnace, it’s not the only factor. You need to also make sure you get a reliable furnace that is correctly sized for your home’s needs.
Contact Service Champions, and we can help you pick the furnace that fits your home needs while staying within your budget.