High Efficiency Furnaces
HZG had his personal furnace go out this past year...it was operating at as a 60+ furnace. Extremely wasteful; however the HZG family's home has been used as a continual test case of energy efficient practices to see what happens after an energy savings measure is instituted. Next on our list is dense-packing our sidewalls (currently empty). The worst gas bill this past winter (with all the improvements we've done to date) was $189. By I digress...
When your furnace goes bad, it's time to evaluate whether to put in an 80+ or a 90+ furnace. HZG recommends a 90+ if you plan on living in the home for more than 5 years and you are in a climate (such as Ohio) with colder than average winters. If you own a rental property, before putting in a 90+ furnace, make sure it is an upper end rental...reasons to follow.
80% or high efficiency?
The EPA requires furnaces to have at least a 78% AFUE (annual fuel-utilization rating). This means that a minimum of 78% of the fuel consumed is directly converted to heat your home. The rest escapes through the flue, literally up the chimney. Currently, the most efficient furnaces you can buy have a 97% AFUE. If your furnace is more than 15 years old, it probably has an AFUE of only 65%, so it's easy to see how improvements in energy conservation can have a direct impact on your fuel bill.
90+ furnaces are directly vented to the outside via plastic piping, avoiding the chimney altogether. The furnace needs to be checked yearly, for it has many higher tech parts than an 80+. Also, the furnace filter MUST be changed frequently.
An 80+ furnace is the best bet for short occupancy, for the savings will not be recovered quickly with the 90+. For lower end rentals, the 80+ is the best bet for tenants are rough with everything - including a furnace. If they are in charge of changing filters, they won't... For higher end rentals, the 90+ furnace can be advertised as a benefit to the prospective tenant.
When your furnace goes bad, it's time to evaluate whether to put in an 80+ or a 90+ furnace. HZG recommends a 90+ if you plan on living in the home for more than 5 years and you are in a climate (such as Ohio) with colder than average winters. If you own a rental property, before putting in a 90+ furnace, make sure it is an upper end rental...reasons to follow.
80% or high efficiency?
The EPA requires furnaces to have at least a 78% AFUE (annual fuel-utilization rating). This means that a minimum of 78% of the fuel consumed is directly converted to heat your home. The rest escapes through the flue, literally up the chimney. Currently, the most efficient furnaces you can buy have a 97% AFUE. If your furnace is more than 15 years old, it probably has an AFUE of only 65%, so it's easy to see how improvements in energy conservation can have a direct impact on your fuel bill.
90+ furnaces are directly vented to the outside via plastic piping, avoiding the chimney altogether. The furnace needs to be checked yearly, for it has many higher tech parts than an 80+. Also, the furnace filter MUST be changed frequently.
An 80+ furnace is the best bet for short occupancy, for the savings will not be recovered quickly with the 90+. For lower end rentals, the 80+ is the best bet for tenants are rough with everything - including a furnace. If they are in charge of changing filters, they won't... For higher end rentals, the 90+ furnace can be advertised as a benefit to the prospective tenant.
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