With energy costs constantly spiraling, homeowners considering a replacement furnace or water heater should always have fuel efficiency at the forefront of their minds. Our location in north-central Texas can mean lengthy heating seasons, so small differences can represent big bucks. When comparing like-for-like home heating appliances, you have a great tool available in the appliance’s heating efficiency, AFUE value.
Defining AFUE.
AFUE is an acronym for the Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency of an appliance. As a measure of heating efficiency, AFUE is a great companion value to the unit’s thermal efficiency.
What AFUE Is.
“Thermal efficiency” describes the peak measure of a machine’s effectiveness in converting incoming BTUs to usable, outgoing BTUs. AFUE, however, doesn’t assume that the machine will work at that steady rate all the time it’s in use. Rather, it attempts to describe efficiency in terms of real, average performance throughout a usage season.
How AFUE Is Measured.
All furnaces and water heaters, whether fueled by electricity, natural gas or propane, burn fuel to create heat. That fuel contains a specific amount of energy, measured in British Thermal Units (BTUs). The comparison between the BTUs being fed into the machine, and the BTUs coming out, is an accurate measure of the machine’s efficiency. The difference is mostly energy lost in warm exhaust gas. Efficiency is measured as a percentage of all the BTUs being consumed, as fuel, by the equipment, compared to all the BTU’s being delivered, as treated air or water. Thus, the higher the percentage, the more efficient the heater.
What to Look For.
The key is understanding what an appliance’s AFUE percentage represents. The value describes the machine’s efficiency in converting incoming fuel heat to outgoing space or water heat. It’s really that simple. Looking for a higher percentage number means finding a machine that will use your fuel — your money — more efficiently.
The experts at James Lane Air Conditioning & Plumbing can advise you on all aspects of heating efficiency, AFUE and thermal efficiency. A little time can equal big savings, so contact us to schedule a free consultation.
