DOES YOUR HEATING ENERGY EFFICIENT?
Heating your home can get expensive. If you’re not careful, you can end up paying a shocking energy bill.
While properly controlling your heating during the winter can help reduce your energy bills, it may not be enough. If your heating isn’t energy efficient, you may feel like you’re burning money just to stay warm.
The more efficient your heater is, the less it should cost to run. However, knowing when your system works best is not necessarily easy.
If you’re not sure how efficient your heating is, here are three ways to find out.
1. KNOW YOUR AFUE RATING
Annual Fuel Use Efficiency, or AFUE, is the best way to determine your heater’s ideal efficiency. An AFUE rating is a percentage that measures how efficiently your heater can convert fuel into electricity. The higher the AFUE, the more efficient the heater.
For example, an AFUE rating of 98% indicates that 98% of the fuel used is actually heating your home. Only 2% of the energy of this fuel is wasted. However, older ovens can have an AFUE rating as low as 56%. In these cases, 44% of the energy generated is exhausted and wasted.
You can find your oven’s AFUE rating in the owner’s manual or on a sticker inside the oven cabinet. If you cannot find the review about any of these options, you can also contact the manufacturer or search the internet for your heater make and model.
To be considered a high efficiency oven, the AFUE rating must be 90% or greater. A heater rated at 80% is usually sufficient and is quite common in temperate climates. The minimum AFUE rating allowed for new devices is 78%.
2. CONSIDER YOUR HEATER’S AGE
Knowing your heater’s AFUE rating is a good place to start in assessing your heating efficiency, but it doesn’t always tell the whole story.
The average life expectancy of a household heater is around 15 to 20 years. Even if your heater starts out with an excellent AFUE rating, it can degrade by around 5% each year if not properly maintained.
Although you have taken good care of your equipment over the years, the components will wear out with age and regular use. With so many advances in HVAC technology, even a 10 year old system could benefit from an upgrade.
Consider the age of your heater, its original AFUE rating and do the math. If energy efficiency and savings on your electricity bill are important to you, you may decide to start preparing for that purchase as soon as possible.
3. COMPARE ENERGY BILLS
Whether you’re looking for a new heater or want your current system to last as long as possible, taking care of your heater can help keep it efficient.
If you are looking for a new system, a knowledgeable consultant will take into account your local climate and personal preferences and suggest the most ideal equipment for your home. To keep your AFUE assessment as accurate as possible, make regular check-up and service appointments to keep your system running optimally.
Carrano Air HVAC Contractor Inc. experienced service and maintenance technicians can help you properly maintain your heating system to ensure it is operating as efficiently as possible.
When you’re ready to schedule a service appointment or to speak to a comfort advisor about installing a new high-efficiency system, give us a call at (732) 329-3784. We are happy to help you find an efficient heating solution that suits your needs.