3 Ways to Tell If Your Furnace is Energy Efficient

Is your furnace energy efficient? There’s no doubt heat is a necessity in a home. With rigid winter temperatures making their way into your living space, you’re likely to crank the heat up to try to keep everyone warm. However, when it comes to using heat on a unit that isn’t energy efficient, you’ll notice the repercussions immediately, starting with one thing: high energy bills.

The good news is that there are ways to check if your unit is operating properly, thus saving you time and money every month. Here are some things to be on the lookout for when it comes to having an energy efficient heating system.

The unit’s AFUE rating

The AFUE or Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency is the best way to see just how efficient your unit is operating. This measures how your furnace turns fuel into energy. If you’re operating an older unit, this may be the cause of the inefficiency. Many older models may only convert about 50-60% of fuel into energy, meaning you’re losing half of it!

Typically, you can find this rating on the inside cabinet of the furnace, usually on the sticker, or in the user manual. However, as with most machinery, things often lose their efficiency overtime. If you feel that your unit isn’t working the way it used to, it may be time to contact a professional. 

Here at Triangle AC, we are more than happy to help you get your unit’s AFUE rating figured out so you can save as much money on heating bills as possible. At the end of the day, we’re business owners. We know it’s not smart to waste money on expenses that can be fixed and benefit your long run. That’s why we’re here– to make things easier on you!

The furnace’s age

As mentioned above, the age of a furnace can also be a big factor in energy efficiency. The furnace will not perform as well as it did initially after 15 to 20 years of use, which is the typical lifespan of a furnace. A rule of thumb is the rating usually decreases by 5% every year. This means replacing your furnace is a necessity every so often.

If you are looking for a furnace that will give you the most bang for your buck, or just aren’t sure what type or brand to go with, the experts at Triangle AC are here to help. Best of all, we work with all makes and models of heating units, meaning you won’t have to worry when switching over from one branch to the next. As Pittsburgh’s trusted HVAC company, we’ve got you covered.