A furnace is rated for its efficient use of fuel that it uses to heat your home. This rating is called the ‘AFUE rating’. AFUE stands for annual fuel utilization efficiency. This refers to the ratio of heat output per unit of fuel that is consumed by your heating system. No heating system performs without a loss due to the combustion system, but some heating systems are better than others. You can determine the efficiency of your system by checking the yellow “ENERGYGUIDE” paper on your device (the image above is what it looks like).
For example, modern furnaces today have AFUE ratings that are above 90%. This means that 90% of the fuel that is used to heat your home is being used for exactly that. So, the remaining 10% is lost somewhere along the way.
The U.S. Department of Energy states that when a furnace is 20 or so years old it is most likely below 80% efficiency and that its efficiency has significantly degraded over time.
It is highly recommended that you replace your furnace if your AFUE rating is under 80%. If this is you, we are here to help!
Where Can I Find The AFUE Rating?
All furnaces and almost every major home appliance are required to have an AFUE rating posted somewhere on them. This rating is the same big yellow label you see in the image at the beginning of this post. The big yellow label shows you the AFUE rating as well as some comparisons and a rough estimate of its expected annual operating costs.
In conclusion, if you would like to know more about your particular heating system and its efficiency, give us a call at Alpine Temperature Control in St. George, UT. We specialize in HVAC systems and can help you upgrade when the time is right.
