AFUE Rating: What You Need to Know When Buying a Furnace

With the colder temperatures this time of year in Oklahoma City, you might be in the market for a new furnace. There are many things you need to take into account when choosing the unit that's right for you, one of which is its AFUE rating.

What is an AFUE rating?

AFUE stands for annual fuel utilization efficiency. It is a measurement of the amount of heat that a furnace produces in relation to the amount of energy it consumes. A furnace with a rating of 85 percent, for example, converts 85 percent of the energy that's put into it into heat throughout a typical year. The remaining 15 percent of that energy is lost.

Currently, the minimum AFUE for new furnaces is 78 percent, while the minimum AFUE for a new boiler is 80 percent. You can get a high-efficiency furnace with an AFUE as high as a 97 percent if it uses natural gas, and even 100 percent for electric heaters.

What are the advantages of a higher AFUE furnace?

Furnaces with a higher AFUE rating will save you money on your monthly energy bills. If you're replacing an older unit, you could cut down as much as half of your energy bills by investing in a high efficiency unit.

Furnaces with high AFUE ratings also reduce your carbon footprint because less gas is emitted from your house.

What are the disadvantages of a higher AFUE furnace?

The main disadvantage of furnaces with high AFUE ratings is that they are more expensive upfront. Similar to investing in a hybrid car, you have to pay more initially but you'll save more on expenses in the future.

How do you find the AFUE rating that's right for you?

When choosing a furnace, decide on how much you're able and willing to spend upfront and select an AFUE rating accordingly. You'll also want to take into account the efficiency of your current unit and calculate the monthly and yearly savings you'd get out of each level of an AFUE upgrade.

If you have any questions about AFUE ratings or would like help choosing a furnace that's right for you, contact Comfort Incorporated, your Oklahoma City heating and air conditioning company.