Furnace Efficiency Ratings and What They Mean

Published on January 21, 2017

There are several factors to consider when you invest in a new furnace:

What is your budget for a new furnace?
How much can you afford each month in heating bills?
Does anyone living in the home have respiratory problems?
Which type and size system do you require to heat your size of home?

But have you ever thought about your furnace efficiency rating? Do you understand what it means?

Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning 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 calculate how much energy will be needed to heat your home and, in the long run, how much it will cost you. Basically, the higher your furnace efficiency rating the less energy your furnace needs to heat your home.

The AFUE (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency) rating is the number that tells you how much heat the furnace will produce compared to the amount of energy used to produce the heat. For 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.

Note 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 each home is different – some higher quality, some substandard, so the AFUE rating does not include this in their rating. If you are concerned that your furnace or duct system is not energy efficient, give Service Experts a call today and we will come out for a free in-home analysis and help you determine how much more energy and money you could be saving each month.

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