Customers purchasing heating or cooling equipment want to know how energy-efficient their new unit will be, and each type of equipment has it own measure. Gas furnace efficiency is measured in AFUE, which stands Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE). For a gas furnace rated at 95% AFUE, that means that 95% of the heat produced by burning the fuel gas ends up in the occupied space where you want it, and only 5% of the heat escapes out the chimney or vent.
95% is the current standard of excellence for combustion efficiency, and you should purchase nothing less if buying a new furance. Twenty years ago, 80% AFUE was the standard of efficiency, and there are still some old 70% and 80% AFUE furnaces around, but those older furnaces have been superseded by 95% models. If by chance you have an old 70% model, a 95% efficient model would reduce your heating costs by around 25% of your current heating bill–which is nothing to sneeze at!
Not saying you should run out and buy a new gas furnace tomorrow if you presently have an older unit, but if you have breakdown repairs in the $300. or more range, that is most certainly when you should upgrade to 95% AFUE. For more information about AFUE and costs to upgrade to a higher efficiency, call Air Control Heating & Electric at (509)924-0018.
