Furnace Efficiency

With the heating season right around the corner, I figured this would be the ideal time to discuss furnace efficiency and it's impact on the environment and your wallet.  Heating is often the largest energy expense in most homes, accounting for roughly 35-50% of annual energy bills.  Especially in colder parts of the country.  Reducing your heating energy use is the single most effective way to save money and reduce your home's impact on the environment.

If your furnace is older than 20 years, it would be a wise investment to replace it with a high efficiency model with the guidance of a qualified, experienced contractor like Environmental Heating & Air.  The proper method to replacing your furnace involves setting up an appointment with said contractor, where they can come in and analyze your home and can give you a personalized report on which furnace models would be most beneficial for your needs.  The best way to do this is to go with a company that offers free estimates on replacing your heating system(like Environmental).

The best models to go with are Energy Star qualified.  The efficiency of new furnaces is measured by the annual fuel utilization efficiency(AFUE), which is a measure of seasonal performance.  Furnaces today are rated between 80% AFUE and 98% AFUE.  Above 90% AFUE, a unit is considered to be "condensing", which means it recaptures some of the heat that would be wasted in traditional systems by condensing the escaping water vapor.  80-89% AFUE furnaces are still good furnaces, they are much better and more efficient than older style furnaces and are somewhat more affordable than the 90-98% high efficiency furnaces.  However, the 80-89% furnaces do not qualify for Energy Star programs.  At Environmental, we offer great financing on all of the furnaces and systems we sell.  Which in turn can make the 90-98% Energy Star rated furnaces much more affordable.  Just give us a call or your trusted heating and air company in your area a call and take advantage of the great costs and efficiencies before the actual cold season gets here.  You will be amazed at the results you see in the form of energy savings!

-Nickadeemus
Environmental Heating & Air of NC, Inc.
919-535-8422