Furnace Efficiency Ratings and What They Mean

Published on January 21, 2017

There are many things to think about when you purchase a new furnace:

What is your budget for a new furnace?
How much are you looking to spend on monthly heating bills?
Do any of the residents living in the home suffer from respiratory ailments?
How big does the system need to be to heat your size of home?

But have you ever thought about your furnace efficiency rating? Are you sure what it means?

Mountainwest Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning is here to help explain what the furnace efficiency rating is and the effects is can have on your home and your budget.

The furnace efficiency rating helps calculate how much energy you will need to heat your home and, in the long run, how much it will cost you. Basically, 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 tells you how much heat the furnace will produce compared to the amount of energy needed to produce the heat. An example, if your heating system has a AFUE rating of 80%, this means 20% of energy used is lost and 80% actually becomes heat for your home.

Keep in mind that this rating does not include the potential heat lost through leaking or improperly installed duct work or attic insulation. The duct work in varying homes is different – some good quality, some substandard, so the AFUE rating does not consider this in their rating. If you worry that your heating equipment or duct system is not energy efficient, give Mountainwest Service Experts a call today and we will provide you with a free in-home analysis and help you discover how much more energy and money you could potentially save each month.