Efficiency Levels

Most consumers have heard of efficiency levels but may not be certain of what they are. Anyone who is planning to purchase a new heating or heating and cooling system should spend a little time researching the efficiency levels of the models that interest them because this homework can mean savings on energy bills month in and month out.

There are two terms that you will hear a lot when talking about efficiency levels. One is BTU which stands for British Thermal Units. This is measured "per hour" in most cases. The furnace that you decide on will have a BTU rating posted on it. The second term you may come across is called the AFUE. This stands for the Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency rating. This can be an important rating to understand because it estimates for you the percentage of the heat that is generated that actually goes to heating your home.

It should be noted that the minimum allowable AFUE (as of 1992) is 78%. Keep in mind that this is the minimum. When you are shopping for a new furnace you should always try to purchase one that has a higher rating when possible. The higher the rating the less money you will ultimately spend on energy bills throughout the years.

Another set of terms that you may come across as you research efficiency levels are: Mid-Efficiency and High-Efficiency. Generally speaking, most of the newer types of furnaces will have a high-efficiency rating. This is due to the advances in technology that have allowed manufacturers to produce much cleaner and efficient furnaces than those produced in the past.

Mid-efficiency furnaces are usually those furnaces with an AFUE rating of less than 82%. For the most part, these are non-condensing types of furnaces which vent up a chimney or through some other type of exhaust system.

As far as efficiency levels, condensing furnaces generally have an AFUE rating between 88% and 96% and are often called "high-efficiency" units. The reason they are called condensing is because they cool the gases until they condense into water vapor which allows for added heat to be released.

It should be noted that as efficiency levels go up in any given furnace the price usually goes up as well. However, this added initial cost will almost always pay for itself as lower energy bills are the long-term reward for using these more efficient products.