Atlanta, GA – If you are making the decision to purchase a new furnace or heating system for your home, you need to be sure you factor the efficiency rating of the unit into your decision. But do you understand what that rating means?

“A furnace efficiency rating explains how well your unit uses energy,” says Atlanta Heating and Air Conditioning owner Phil Montgomery. “This helps determine how much it will cost to heat your home when the weather gets cold. The higher the rating means the greater the amount of heat provided for the amount of energy used.”

The efficiency of a central furnace is measured by annual fuel utilization efficiency. New furnaces must display the AFUE so consumers can clearly see and compare the number on all models. The AFUE measures the efficiency of the unit in converting energy to heat over the course of a typical year.

So if a unit has a 90% AFUE, that means that 90% of the energy in the fuel becomes heat for the home. The other 10% escapes the home through a home’s chimney or other sources. The Department of Energy currently mandates a minimum AFUE of 78% for all types of furnaces, unless you live in a mobile home. Then, the minimum AFUE is 75%.

“It is important to remember when looking at the AFUE that this rating doesn’t factor in to heat lost through a home’s duct work, however,” says Montgomery. “Because every home’s duct work is different, it’s impossible to measure how much heat your home may lose through ducts that run through the attic, garage or other similar places. If you have duct work in these areas, you may lose up to 35% of your unit’s heating efficiency.”

The AFUE is somewhat of a new requirement, so if you live in a home with an older furnace, you may not be able to see the information. If you have a home with a furnace that has a continuous pilot light, meaning it requires you to relight it should it go out, you can estimate it will have a 55-70% AFUE rating. If you have a furnace with an electronic ignition, you can expect the efficiency to be around 80%. Condensing units tend to have between a 90-98% AFUE.

If you have an older unit and are worried about its efficiency, the good news is that most furnaces can be retrofitted to increase the efficiency. The HVAC experts at Atlanta Heating and Air Conditioning have the knowledge and skill needed to improve both the safety and efficiency of your older system. However, in some instances, the cost to retrofit should be carefully considered against the cost of installing a brand new unit with a high efficiency rating. New systems can have AFUE ratings of up to 98.5%, meaning almost all of the energy is converted to heating your home.

If you’re ready to learn more about what a higher rated furnace can do for you this winter, call Atlanta Heating and Air Conditioning today at (404) 942-9779.