The ABCs of Home Heating – AFUE Ratings
When purchasing a new central furnace, it’s important to know how efficiently it can convert the energy from natural gas into heat. This is calculated by the annual fuel utilization efficiency, or AFUE. All new furnaces sold in the U.S. are required to display an AFUE rating so consumers can compare how efficient different models are during a typical heating season.
AFUE is a ratio of the annual heat produced by a furnace compared to its fuel consumption. So an AFUE of 90% means that 90% of the energy in the fuel is converted to heat while the remaining 10% is dissipated through the exhaust and other inefficiencies.
It’s important to understand that AFUE ratings do not account for all the heat lost though the home’s air duct system and other inefficiencies, which can be as much as 35% of total energy loss. For this reason, when upgrading your heating and cooling system you should have an HVAC technician check your home’s ventilation system to ensure it’s not reducing overall operating efficiency.
Have questions about furnace efficiency of other heating questions? Call ABC Plumbing, Sewer, Heating, Cooling and Electric. We’re here to help.
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