If you're like many homeowners in the Hampton Roads area, you've considered high-efficiency furnaces for your home. Buying a high-efficiency furnace doesn't have to be confusing. Follow this guide to know what to look for in your furnace purchase.
A high-efficiency furnace can save you as much as 30 percent off your energy costs by eliminating energy waste. Furnace efficiency is measured in AFUE, or annual fuel utilization efficiency. This rating shows how much fuel is used in an average year to heat your home compared to how much is wasted. A traditional furnace has an AFUE of 78, meaning it uses 78 percent of the fuel you buy. When shopping for high-efficiency furnaces, start by looking at whether a particular model has a AFUE rating of at least 90 and carries the Energy Star label. The Energy Star label indicates that the furnace meets government standards for high efficiency. You'll also want to look at the various features available that increase a furnace's efficiency, such as:
Finally, talk to your contractor about a warranty and maintenance plan. While high-efficiency furnaces can be expected to last for many years, like any machine they do need to be maintained. A warranty helps protect you in case anything does go wrong down the road. For more information about high-efficiency furnaces, contact Russell's Heating & Cooling. We've proudly served the Hampton Roads area since 1977. Our goal is to help educate our customers in Chesapeake, Virginia and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about furnaces and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide. Image courtesy of Shutterstock