The typical Canadian household devotes 60% of their overall electricity use just to space heating. So, if you might be wanting to reduce your current household power expenses by possibly as much as 30 %, consider updating your aging, gas-guzzling furnace with a high-efficiency version.
However, a high-efficiency furnace will cost you a few thousand dollars to purchase and install. Therefore it pays off to take the time so that you can choose the ideal furnace, and contractor, when considering this substantial purchase.
Should you care about your furnace efficiency?
Probably the very first decision is whether to purchase a high-efficiency furnace (90 to 97 % of the actual burnt natural gas is transformed into useful heat), or even a mid-efficiency type, with a 78-82 % rating. Your high-efficiency furnace’s more significant expense will take fewer than six years to recoup, by means of improved energy savings. (Note: regulations stipulate all brand new furnaces should match the minimal mid-efficiency ranking.)
“Apart from conserving a lot more energy, a high-efficiency furnace operates significantly quieter compared to a mid-efficiency furnace and can make your house even more pleasant with its capacity to sustain a much more consistent temperatures,” says Dave Miller, a Calgary energy expert. High-efficiency models also include the option of operating the furnace fan using a direct current motor, which in turn utilizes around 30 % less electrical power than an alternating-current generator.
An essential factor to think about is the furnace’s dimensions relative to that of the residence. A high-efficiency design can typically be relatively smaller, in BTU input, than an older or a mid-efficiency furnace. The furnace dimensions can be impacted if your home insulation is inadequate, although it makes sense to plug those heat leaks in advance of investing in a brand new furnace.
A number of additional points to take into account when purchasing a new furnace:
- Search for models with an Energy Star® tag, attached to furnaces with an efficiency rating of 90 % or higher.
- Request for a heat loss calculation, used to determine the size of furnace.
- Installation expenses may fluctuate somewhat, depending on such things as the amount of ductwork necessary. For example, the majority of high-efficiency furnaces tend to be venting to an exterior wall and combustion air flow is drawn in via plastic plumbing.
- Including an electrostatic filter system to your new furnace – at an additional expense of a several hundred dollars – offers a better effect on decreasing dust and some allergens in your home than enhancing the total furnace efficiency.
Is a 92% efficient furnace good?
Yes! The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) requires all manufacturers to indicate the AFUE rating on the label of all furnaces. The Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE) rating is used to measure the efficiency of a furnace in Toronto. Today furnaces have an AFUE rating of 78 to 96%. However, most residential furnaces tend to use an AFUE rating of 80,90, or 95%. Therefore, in determining whether a 92% efficient furnace is good, we refer to the AFUE rating. Furnaces with a rating of 90 or 95% tend to have the highest efficiency.
What is a good furnace efficiency rating?
A furnace’s efficiency is indicated by its AFUE number. This number represents the percentage of fuel being used towards heating your home over the course of the heating season. A gas furnace with an AFUE rating of 90% or higher can be considered a high-efficiency furnace. As such, to qualify for the Energy Star label, a finance must obtain an AFUE rating of 90% or higher. Therefore, it can be said that what classifies as a good furnace efficiency rating are those furnaces with a 90% or higher AFUE rating, which in turn signifies that they are more efficient.
What is the difference between an 80% and 90% furnace?
While in most cases Toronto homeowners almost always prefer that their heating systems be the most energy efficient as possible, though, oftentimes this comes with a much higher price tag. As a 90% furnace uses more energy- efficient technology to heat all the areas of your home. Whereas an 80% furnace, by virtue is more affordable, however, the lost 20% of heat energy is exhausted through the furnaces’ vents to the outside. Additionally, an 80% furnace uses a single speed, on/off blower motor and a burner that runs at full output. While a 90% furnace has a secondary heat exchanger designed to receive these lost gases that is then diverted into a condensing phase to save on excess heat. All in all, the 90% furnace is far more efficient in that it burns gas more efficiently.
What is the difference between mid and high-efficiency furnaces?
New gas furnaces can be categorized as either “high-efficiency’, or “mid-efficiency”. Both are far more efficient than older, conventional gas furnaces. Typically, a high-efficiency furnace, also known as a condensing furnace, has an AFUE of 90% or higher. Although today furnaces have the capability to reach efficiencies of up to 98.5%. While presently, residential mid-efficiency furnaces have a minimum AFUE between 78% and 83%. Determining the best type of furnace for your home is largely dependent on your climate and how much heating is required for your home to be comfortable during the cooler seasons.
How efficient is a 20-year-old furnace?
Unfortunately, after 20 years of service your furnace is no longer running as efficiently as it once was. In fact, HVAC repair experts can confirm that any furnace that has been around for nearly 20 year is coming to the end of its lifespan – suffering a lot of wear and tear throughout the year. As such, it is said that a 20-year-old furnace wastes at least 22% of the energy it consumes. Meaning, that you are essentially losing more than $2.00 for every $10.00 you spend on heating your home.