As the chill of winter approaches, ensuring that your home’s furnace operates at peak energy efficiency becomes essential. Not only does this help you stay warm and comfortable, but it also helps keep your energy bills under control. Here are some valuable tips from our heating experts to maximize your furnace energy efficiency.
Understanding AFUE Rating:
AFUE (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency) is a measure of a furnace’s efficiency in converting fuel into heat. Higher AFUE indicates greater efficiency. In the United States modern gas furnaces typically have AFUE ratings between 80% and 98%. Higher AFUE ratings may have higher installation costs but can lead to significant long-term energy savings.
1. Proper Furnace Size: It is essential to have a furnace that is properly sized to heat your home. An oversized furnace will cycle on and off frequently, which will use more energy, while an undersized furnace may struggle to heat your home adequately and will run longer using more energy.
2. Furnace Maintenance: Regular furnace maintenance is crucial to maintain energy efficiency. Our experts recommend you get an annual furnace inspection by a qualified HVAC company like TLC. Dirty or malfunctioning parts can reduce efficiency and can be a potential safety risk.
3. Change Your Furnace Filters Regularly: Our HVAC professionals recommend you change your furnace filters every 3 months to optimize furnace efficiency. Dirty filters reduce proper airflow causing the furnace to work hard to maintain heating temperatures. A clogged, dirty filter can reduce energy efficiency up to 15%.
4. Programmable Digital Thermostat: Installing a programmable or smart thermostat allows you to optimize your heating schedule and reduce energy waste by automatically adjusting the temperature based on your daily routines.
5. Energy Efficient Furnaces: When it’s time to replace your furnace, consider an energy-efficient models that meet or exceed ENERGY STARÒ certification standards. There are options now that include 2 speed and variable speed motors that use less energy to operate depending on the heating needs in the home.
