How do AFUE Ratings Work for Heaters

How do AFUE Ratings Work for Heaters

Here in Redlands, heating installation companies work on a wide variety of heaters, ranging from traditional furnaces to heat pumps to radiant systems built directly into your floor. All of them measure their heating capacity the same way however: with an AFUE rating, which stands for Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency. The number is an excellent and easy way to determine a given heater’s efficiency, which helps determine which one can save you the most on your monthly energy costs. But how do AFUE ratings work for heaters, specifically? A brief outline can be found below.

The AFUE rating is actually fairly easy to establish. It’s the ratio of heat output the unit produces to the total amount of energy it consumes. A unit that creates 40,000 BTUs (British Thermal Unit) of heat while consuming 50,000 BTUs of energy will have an AFUE rating of 80%, while a similar unit that produces 45,000 BTUs of energy while consuming 50,000 BTUs of energy will have an AFUE rating of 90%. (The energy that doesn’t go into heating is lost to waste and similar factors.) That makes it equally easy to determine which heater is the most efficient: the higher the percentage, the more energy goes into heating the home.

Obviously, newer heaters tend to have higher AFUE ratings than older ones, since their parts haven’t been as affected by wear and tear, and the advent of new technology can help improve their functioning considerably. You can keep your furnace efficient by scheduling regular maintenance session throughout its life. When the time comes to replace it, look for a unit with a higher AFUE rating to ensure that you get the most you possibly can out of your new unit.

The Redlands, CA heating installation company, Russell’s Heating and Air Conditioning can explain how AFUE ratings work for heaters, then explain your options to you before installing the heater that fits your home the best. We also do repair and maintenance work, which will help keep your heater running as effectively as possible. Call us today to set up an appointment. You’ll be glad that you did!