When you’re looking at new gas furnaces, you might notice that they have an AFUE rating. What is AFUE? This refers to the Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE) rating, which measures how efficient a gas furnace is. Knowing what is AFUE can help ensure that you choose the best gas furnace for your home in Broken Arrow.
How Does the AFUE Rating Work?
What is AFUE? The AFUE rating lets you know how well a gas furnace is able to turn natural gas into energy. You’ll see the AFUE rating as a percentage on descriptions of gas furnaces. The percentage tells you how much of the energy that a gas furnace uses turns into actual heat. For example, an AFUE rating of 85% would mean that 85% of the energy a gas furnace uses is turned into heat. What happens to the remaining energy? The other 15% is energy that the gas furnace consumes during the process of heating your home. A higher AFUE rating indicates that a gas furnace is more energy-efficient compared to furnaces with lower AFUE ratings.
What AFUE Rating Should a Gas Furnace Have?
New gas furnaces must have an AFUE rating of at least 78%, so you won’t see any that go below this amount. AFUE ratings can vary considerably, but what is AFUE (and what value is it?) if you can't get a furnace with a higher rating. For example, a gas furnace with an AFUE rating of 95% will provide much better energy efficiency than a gas furnace with an AFUE rating of 80%. In general, gas furnaces with AFUE ratings between 80% and 85% are considered mid-efficiency furnaces. Those that range between 90% to 97% are considered high-efficiency furnaces. Keep in mind that a higher AFUE rating results in more energy savings, since your new gas furnace will be heating your home more efficiently.
Now, you won't have to ask "What is AFUE?" ever again. If you’re looking for a new furnace for your Broken Arrow home, please contact Air Assurance. Our HVAC experts can help you choose a new furnace with a higher AFUE rating so you can save on energy costs.