Nothing beats having a warm home on a chilly evening during the winter time. Heating your home though can be expensive and if you’re not careful lead to high energy bills each month. It’s important to know if your heater is energy efficient so you don’t have to worry about it not working as efficiently as it should. Here are ways you can tell if your heater is working efficiently.
AFUE Rating
AFUE stands for annual fuel utilization efficiency and it measures how efficient the heater can convert fuel into energy. The rating goes by a percentage and the higher the rating, the more energy-efficient it is. For example, having an AFUE rating of 98 percent means it only loses 2 percent of that energy. Older heaters though will have a lower AFUE rating and will also have a higher percentage of energy that is being wasted. A high-efficiency heater should have a rating of 90% or higher, but some can be around 80% and are common for temperate climates. You’re able to find the rating from the user manual or a sticker located on the furnace cabinet. If you’re not able to find the rating you can contact an HVAC tech who can assist you.
Energy Bill Changes
Energy bills can fluctuate from time to time from seasons changing and rise of energy costs. If you notice a drastic change from your energy bills it’s important to figure out why. Comparing your energy bills each month can help you identify if your heater is losing efficiency. Understanding the different fluctuation points from your energy bills can help determine if your heater needs to be looked at.
Heaters Age
It’s important to take care and maintain your furnace, but it will lose efficiency because of its age. The average lifespan of a home heater is between 15 to 20 years and will start to decline its efficiency 5% every year if not properly maintained. It’s important to replace your heater after a certain period of time so you can have higher efficiency, while using minimal energy. Newer systems now are more advanced than their older models and can be a great benefit if you upgrade. Looking at your heater’s age, energy bills and AFUE rating can help determine that you can save more money on your energy bills by upgrading to a new heater.
It’s important to know if your heater is energy efficient so you’re able to save money while being comfortable this winter season. Taking good care of your heater is important and to have annual maintenance done so it can maintain its efficiency. Our expert team at Omni Air HVAC can help you maintain your heating system to ensure that it’s running efficiently. With their skills and knowledge, they’ll be able to answer any questions you have about your heater system or if you’re looking to upgrade to a new one.