Furnace Efficiency Ratings and What They Mean

Published on January 21, 2017

There are many variables to consider when you invest in a new furnace:

How much is your budget for a new furnace?
How much are you looking to spend on monthly heating bills?
Does anyone living in the home have respiratory ailments?
What size system will you need to heat your size of home?

But have you ever took into consideration your furnace efficiency rating? Do you understand what it means?

Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning is here to help explain what the furnace efficiency rating is and what it means for your home and your budget.

The furnace efficiency rating helps determine how much energy is required to heat your home and, ultimately, how much it will cost you. Essentially, the higher your furnace efficiency rating the less energy your heating system requires to heat your home.

The AFUE (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency) rating is the number that shows how much heat the furnace will provide compared to the amount of energy required to produce the heat. An example, if your heating equipment has a AFUE rating of 90%, this means 10% of energy used is lost and 90% actually becomes heat for your home.

Note that this rating does not include the potential heat lost through leaking or incorrectly installed duct work or attic insulation. The duct work in varying homes is different – some good quality, some poorer, so the AFUE rating does not factor this into their rating. If you feel that your heating system or duct system is not energy efficient, give Service Experts a call today and we will give you a free in-home analysis and help you determine how much more energy and money you could be saving each month.

Back To Blog