When thinking about making a furnace upgrade, there are few considerations you’ll want to weigh more heavily than fuel efficiency and as a direct result, lifetime costs of the upgrade. For comparing the efficiency of different furnaces, the best tool available is the AFUE, or “annual fuel utilization efficiency” rating. What this rating does is measure how well a heating system converts energy into heat. For example, a furnace with a 75 percent AFUE rating is able of converting 75 percent of the energy that it uses into heat, essentially letting the other 25 percent go to waste.
These ratings can have a big impact on the lifetime costs of any potential furnace upgrade. For one thing, you have to pay for all of the energy that your appliances waste, and furnaces with higher AFUE ratings simply waste less energy. If you’re still running a fairly old furnace, then your potential to benefit from a furnace upgrade is all the greater, as new furnaces are currently much more efficient than in the past.
If you’re still skeptical about the potential for long-term savings, consider the numbers. Experts estimate that, as an example, if you were to make the furnace upgrade from a 70 percent AFUE rated unit all the way up to a new 90 percent rated one, you’d immediately begin saving around $22 for every $100 spent on those monthly heating bills. Those savings add up quickly, and they aren’t the only place where high-efficiency furnaces can lower your lifetime costs. The fact is, units with higher AFUE ratings, by running more smoothly, are also at lower risk for breakdowns and other technical problems. Anyone who’s ever had a furnace break down can tell you that those repairs don’t come cheap.
So, if you can afford it now, don’t be scared off by the hefty initial cost of a major furnace upgrade. By going with energy efficiency now, you’re saving yourself significant money in the long run. For heating and cooling needs, contact us at Donald P. Dick Air Conditioning.
Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about upgrading your furnace and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
Donald P Dick Air Conditioning services the greater Fresno area in California. Visit our websiteto see our special offers and get started today!
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