Heater Efficiency: Why It’s Important

Maintaining a comfortable indoor temperature during the winter months can be expensive if your heater is not functioning properly. Worn components or improper maintenance will reduce your HVAC system’s efficiency leading to a breakdown in performance. These breakdowns can lead to the failure of your heater.

Why is heater efficiency so important?

Choosing a heater that fits your home’s size and heating needs is crucial in cutting down on your energy usage. Moder systems can reduce utility bills up to 70% with technologically advanced components that lead to better heater efficiency. Having a better heating system is not always linked to price. Having an efficiently functioning heater will provide the most efficient use of your investment.

In a world where environmental concerns are on the rise, heater efficiency can protect the environment when they use less fuel and produce less waste.  Older heaters are less efficient than the modern heating systems that use technologically advanced components.

How is Heater Efficiency measured?

All furnaces come with an annual fuel utilization efficiency (AFUE) rating. The AFUE measures the percentage of the actual heat that is converted from the potential energy of the heating source. In other words, AFUE measures how much heat is produced from the energy source fueling the heating system.

Some modern high-efficiency furnaces have an AFUE rating of close to 100. These systems use energy from the fuel as well as fuel combustion exhaust. The average heater efficiency has an AFUE rating of around 80 percent.

Heater Efficiency and Cost

The determining factor in which heating system to choose is cost. The more efficient your heating system, the more upfront costs you will have to come out of pocket.

The main factors you need to consider are as follows:

Fuel Consumption: The more you run your heating system, the more fuel that is used. Higher efficiency heating systems burn less fuel, which equates to lower utility bills.

Utility Costs: If your heating system is gas or electric, the cost will fluctuate depending on the cost to provide utilities to your home.

Home Construction: Depending on how well your home is built and how well your home is insulated will depend on how efficient your heating system will function.

Picking the best option is not easy to do by yourself. We recommend speaking to one of our professional heating efficiency consultants to estimate the lifetime cost of various models of furnaces in order to clearly see which is the best option.

Questions about your heating system’s efficiency?

Our technicians can provide a thorough inspection of your heating and air conditioning system to identify any potential problems. Replacing worn or improperly configured furnace components can significantly improve the efficiency of your furnace.

Our technicians are thoroughly trained and certified to repair or design any improperly installed ductwork systems.

For more information about R.M. Mullinix or heating systems, schedule an appointment, or visit our gas furnace repair information page.