American Standard Furnace

High Efficiency Furnaces: Giving You Big Savings in the Long Run

Have you checked the date of manufacture of your furnace?  If your furnace was manufactured before 1992, you may not notice it but you may be throwing money in too much energy consumption.  It is time to consult HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioner) contractors to see how much money you will save in the long run if you replace your furnace today.  It is now time to change your furnace into high efficiency furnace.  With high efficiency furnace, you spend less in electricity bill and reduce your homes’ emission of carbon dioxide.

Furnaces are rated according to the amount of heat that is converted to heat.  The efficiency rating of a furnace is measured in terms of Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency or simply AFUE.  All furnaces manufactured after 1992 have efficiency rating of at least 78% as mandated by a 1992 law.  If you check the furnaces available in the market today, they have AFUE from 80% to 96%.  Those units that have energy efficiency rating of less than 90% AFUE are called mid efficiency furnaces.  Those that have AFUE of more than 90% are the high efficiency furnaces.

Even if you pick a popular model like a Miller mobile home furnace, you still need the help of a pro. Contact a number of HVAC contractors and ask for a quote. The price range for the installation of a new furnace is from $1,500 to $4,000 depending on the size of your home and other considerations. Upon checking your home, HVAC will recommend the brand name of high efficiency furnace that will be used. They will also be the one to install the heating system in your home.  

Compare the price quotes of the HVAC contractors.  The total amount should include inspection of circulation load to see what size of furnace best suits your house.  Checking of circulation load includes inspection of the insulation of the windows and walls, the size of the house among many other factors.  After the inspection of the circulation load, the HVAC contractor can recommend an AFUE, brand and model for your new furnace.  Ask your HVAC contractor if it suits your house to use a high efficiency furnace.

The cost of high efficiency furnace is no doubt higher than ordinary and mid efficiency furnaces. But the savings will come after years of using it in terms of lower electricity bills month after month. You are also investing in a way in the future of your children because high efficiency furnaces, like the American Standard furnace, reduce carbon emission. Carbon emission of furnaces made up 30% of the total carbon emission in our air. If everyone uses high efficiency furnace, we are improving the chances of the next generation having clean air to breathe.

Don't believe everything that your HVAC says.  Get at least 2 HVAC contractors and talk to them about the requirements of your house.  Don’t choose a contractor just because they give the lowest price quotation.  Study the quotation because it may not include the inspection for load circulation and the labor cost.