Understand What Makes Your Furnace High Efficiency
Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency, or it AFUE for short, gives an indication (measures in percentage) of how much fuel is successfully turned into heat in relation to the resultant exhaust gas. It is not uncommon to find high-efficiency gas furnaces which offer AFUE reading of 90 to 95%. What this means is that as much as 90 to 95% of the fuel is used to produce heat, while the balance of 5 to 10% is being wasted as exhaust gas. Higher AFUE value suggests higher efficiency, so furnace burns fuel efficiently for heating purpose, and keeps the energy loss to a minimum. The following lists the benefits of a high-efficiency gas furnace, in comparison with the conventional furnaces.
One basic difference is the technology used. High efficiency gas furnaces have use an electronic ignition technology instead of a pilot light. The old pilot light technology, which works on a continuous burning principle (regardless of weather the furnace is required or not), has been a major contributing factor for standard furnaces consistently achieve low AFUE ratings. On the other hand, the new electronic spark ignition is only turned on when the furnace is required, thus saving unnecessary energy waste.
Furnaces that are highly efficient typically come with condenser units (a system which recycles the exhaust gas into an additional heat exchanger and condenses it into water before it gets released out as cool air). Due to this condensation process, homeowners are able to do without a heat resistant flue, and save the corresponding installation costs. Additionally, condensations would produce relatively less airborne pollutants. Unlike conventional furnaces that use the chimneys to direct hot air out, high-efficiency furnaces discharge the cool air through plastic piping.
Fuel supply line is cut off by automatic vent dampers when the furnace is not in use. Another factor that contributes to high AFUE rating is the pulse combustion technology. This is a major breakthrough in the manufacturing of high-efficiency furnaces. This self-combustion of fuel (in solid, liquid or gas form) ensures maximum heat output.
The calibrated airflow throughout the system not just enhances the fuel burning efficiency but also makes sure of safe combustion.
At a AFUE of 90-95% rating, the high efficiency furnace compares favorably against its mid-efficient counterparts (78%) and old furnaces (60%). Not just cutting down on utility bills, it also does it part in preserving our earth resources such as fuel, woods, etc. that are not renewable. The savings on non-renewable energy sources is becoming more significant as there are some 35 million American households using gas furnaces and running inefficient furnaces would just accelerate the depletion of our limited energy sources.
Granted, high efficiency furnaces do not come cheap in comparison to the conventional ones. However your purchase price is just a portion of the total cost of ownership. The savings you achieve on energy use over time will more than offset whatever you have to fork out to invest in one. Finally, it is only right we must do our parts to leave the earth safe and clean for our next generations!
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