It's safe to say that even with the random weather recently, the majority of the country has at least dealt with a little bit of winter. As we keep trying to figure out what's going to happen next with the weather, it's important to be sure that you've had furnace service scheduled when the weather finally flips the switch to being cold consistently.
Part of owning and using a furnace involves a little bit of familiarization and understanding of the product itself. One of the most critical tidbits to know is your furnace's AFUE (Annual Furnace Utilization Efficiency). AFUE is denoted as a percentage that lets you know about the type of efficiency you can expect out of your system. If you're uncertain about your current furnace's AFUE, be sure to ask during your next furnace service appointment and the team member can help you figure out it's rating.
What Does AFUE Mean for You?
If you have an older furnace, your AFUE is likely quite a bit lower than the furnaces created today. What it means for you is that with every passing year you're paying for fuel that ends up being wasted, not to heat your home. One way to think about it is by relating your AFUE percentage to dollars. If your furnace has an AFUE of 75%, that means for every $100 you spend on fuel, only $75 is being used to heat your home. Again, your furnace service tech can help you determine the numbers specific to your furnace and your average bill, but hopefully we've been able to offer a somewhat clear picture for you.
Of course there is more that is involved in your decision in buying a new furnace or continuing with an annual furnace service plan on your current system. Over time, efficiency levels can severely impact the comfort and cost of heating your home, so we wanted to be certain that you got a better look at one of the more important considerations for furnaces. If you want to know about furnaces, furnace service or any number of other home comfort questions, give us a call at 815-410-1128.