It might seem counter-intuitive, but with the onset of summer, now is the best time to consider the state of your home’s furnace–especially if it’s ten or more years old. The reason is simple: if your furnace is in bad shape, you’ll be much more comfortable getting the furnace fixed or replaced during the summer than waiting for the cold weather, when you need to use your furnace. If it is more than ten years old, you should give serious thought to upgrading to a new high-efficiency furnace. These newer furnaces provide superior comfort levels at only a fraction of the price.
The first thing to check when shopping for a new furnace is the system’s AFUE (Annualized Fuel Utilization Efficiency). This rating provides consumers with the furnace’s heat output in comparison to the total energy consumed by the unit. The higher a system’s AFUE number, the more efficiently it will use energy. The average furnace has an AFUE rating of around 80 percent. High-efficiency furnaces boast AFUE ratings in the range of 90 percent or higher. When looking at new furnaces, each unit’s AFUE rating can give you a sense of how much money it can save you in the long run, in the form of reduced energy bills.
Furnaces’ AFUE ratings are easy to determine, because the Federal Trade Commission requires that these scores are displayed on each unit so that consumers can make an informed purchasing decision.
Another factor to consider is whether you are going to purchase a condensing or non-condensing unit. Non-condensing units typically cost less, which can be appealing to buyers, but condensing units–although more expensive up-front–operate much more efficiently and will eventually make up for that initial cost through increased energy savings.
When looking for the correct furnace you can tell the differences in quality by checking various AFUE ratings, as well as by the extra features that equip each unit. Look for these additional features when shopping:
- An exhaust fan that efficiently manages the flow of combustion air and gases
- An electric ignition, which removes the need for a pilot light
- Smaller, more convenient dimensions and lighter weights
- A sealed combustion feature
- Units that condense flue gases in a second heat exchanger
Furnaces have become far more efficient in the past few years. If you are looking to upgrade to an energy-efficient system, contact the experts at Marsh Heating and A/C. We have been proudly serving the Twin Cities since 1974.
Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information, click here to download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
Marsh Heating and Air Conditioning services Minnesota’s Twin Cities. To get started, check out our website.