Ideally, a furnace can serve a home or building for 20 – 30 years. However, Energy Star suggests that you should replace your furnace once it hits the 15-years mark. There is a wide range of factors to consider when you are finally ready to replace your furnace, including size, type, safety, and cost. However, one of the most vital factors that most people tend to overlook is the furnace efficiency.
Maybe you’ve found the right type and size of furnace for your needs, but now you might be wondering, why does the efficiency rating of the furnace matter? Well, the efficiency of your furnace matters a lot as it affects the costs of operations, the amount of stress on your system, the lifespan of the system, in addition to noise and airflow levels. In the following section, we are going to take a closer look at the reasons why furnace efficiency matters.
1. The Efficiency of a Furnace Affects Costs of Operations
The costs of operations is one of the main reasons why furnace efficiency is so essential. In the United States, furnaces are expected to indicate their Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE) rating. The rating of the furnace you choose essentially shows you the amount of energy that is converted into heat and how much is wasted. For example, if the furnace has an AFUE rating of 80%, then this means that 80% of the energy utilized is converted into heat while 20% is wasted while a furnace with an AFUE rating of 98% means that it converts 98% of the energy utilized into heat while losing 2% of the energy. Thus, the higher the rating, the less the energy that is wasted.
The less the energy you waste, the lower your utility bills will be next month. If you are looking to keep your energy bills down, which of course you do, then you should go for a furnace with a higher rating.
2. Furnace Efficiency Affects the Stress On the System
The efficiency of your system is critical when it comes to the amount of stress exerted on the system when in operation. A less efficient furnace needs to work more in order to provide the same amount of heating as a furnace with high efficiency. A low-efficient furnace places extra stress on the system, which results in more system issues and, thus, more repairs.
3. Furnace Efficiency Affects the Lifespan of the System
When a furnace works more than it regularly should, it puts extra stress on its components, and this means that they wear more quickly. With issues arising more frequently, you will find that the lifespan of the system will be significantly shorter than that of a system with fewer issues. A furnace with high efficiency places less stress on its components, and this means that they continue functioning normally for a long time.
4. Furnace Efficiency Affects Airflow and Sound Levels
First, it is important to note that a new system with high efficiency is able to create higher airflow levels than a system with low efficiency. This means that the system with high efficiency will be able to heat your home faster and using less energy as opposed to an old low-efficient furnace. Secondly, a high-efficient system produces less noise than a low-efficient system. The extra stress put on the low-efficient systems and the fast degradation of components will make the old less-efficient system noisier.
So, there you have it, top reasons why furnace efficiency matters. The efficiency of a furnace affects so many aspects of the system, which makes it one of the most critical factors to consider when buying a new furnace.
If you have any questions about the furnace in use in your Massachusetts home, feel free to reach out to us at (508) 501-6479 or use our Contact form to get in touch with us. We can provide you with an estimate over the phone or by email, customers are also encouraged to video chat or send pictures of their problems so we can determine the cost for you.
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