Eventually, your current home heating system has to be replaced.
That's not necessarily a bad thing, though. Although a new furnace or boiler system does cost money, it could end up saving you money in the long run, especially if you upgrade to a high-efficiency system. The energy efficiency of most heating systems is measured by AFUE, which stands for annual fuel utilization efficiency. AFUE is the percent of the fuel's heat that gets utilized, as opposed to lost up the chimney or via other means. All new furnaces or boilers will likely have an AFUE of at least 80 percent, though older models sometimes rated as low as 56 percent. The high-efficiency models of today can have AFUE ratings as high as 98 percent, which is almost perfectly efficient. You can calculate how much a high-efficiency system would likely save you overall by looking at the AFUE ratings and how much you currently spend on heating fuel.
So, in this example, you would save $340 per year, or 34 percent, on your heating bills. The benefits of increased efficiency go beyond that, though. Since the new furnace wastes less heat, you can buy a smaller model than the one you currently have -- 34 percent smaller, in fact. To learn more about the high-efficiency systems available for your home in the Hampton Roads area, contact us at Russell's Heating and Cooling. We provide free estimates and can help you determine which option would keep you comfortable while saving you the most money. Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about high-efficiency heating and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide. Russell’s Heating & Cooling services the Chesapeake, Virginia and the surrounding areas. Visit our website to see our special offers and get started today! Photo courtesy of Shutterstock.