from Jennifer in West Bend, WI :
#193
Can you explain efficiency levels of furnaces? What does this mean exactly? What makes one 60% efficient and another one 90%?
The higher the AFUE, the more heat you get for your heating dollar.
Great question! The percentages you mention are a measure a furnace’s overall energy performance. The Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE), or efficiency, of a furnace is the percentage of energy in the fuel (natural gas/propane) that goes into heating the house. For example, for every $1.00 worth of fuel purchased for a 90% efficient furnace, $0.90 goes to heat the home and $0.10 goes out the flue as exhaust. In a 60% efficient furnace, $0.60 goes to heat the home and $0.40 goes out the flue as exhaust. So, the higher the AFUE percentage, the more heat you get for your heating dollar.
Published Friday, May 15, 2009