Since 1950, Galmiche & Sons have provided the greater St. Louis region with furnace repairs, maintenance, and friendly, expert knowledge on furnace efficiency. We know what furnace efficiency means for your household, and how making sure your system is running at its max efficiency can save you energy costs!
While recent technology brings us smart thermostats and more intelligent HVAC systems, knowing the facts about furnace efficiency sometimes requires asking questions. To help, we have compiled a list of frequently asked furnace efficiency questions, below. However, if you find that your question still has not been answered, or you have any other heating & air conditioning needs, call Galmiche & Sons at 314-993-1110. We are here to help!
Get to Know Your Furnace
Knowing your furnace is the first step in effective furnace efficiency. While we are not saying that you should be an expert, having a basic understanding of how your furnace works is key to understanding what you can do to improve efficiency. Below are some helpful answers to questions that can lead you to a good understanding of furnace efficiency in general.
How is furnace efficiency measured?
We use Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency, or AFUE – which is a measure of the percentage of the furnace’s fuel source that is converted into heating. For example, if you have a 75% AFUE rating – 75% of the fuel is heating your home and 25% is going to waste. The higher the percentage – the more effective and energy saving your furnace will be.
What is a ‘High’ AFUE rating?
Usually, furnace efficiency of over 95% is considered high. Typically, these furnaces will have some sort of label to indicate this. If you are wondering what percentage your furnace is – and whether it fits into the High category, feel free to connect with us and one of our experts will help you.
How are high-efficiency furnaces so efficient?
There are a variety of factors that can effect furnace efficiency, and this includes the type of furnace. For example, the most high-efficiency furnaces may use variable speed fans, sealed combustion chambers, and multi-stage burners – or they could be a condensing furnace. If you are unsure how efficient your furnace is, contact one of our experts who will run you through the measurement and advise on how you may improve it.
Is a lower cost the only advantage to a high-efficiency furnace?
While the key benefit of variable speed fans and multi-stage burners is that these are more efficient –they also offer other benefits as well. For example, they allow for a more even distribution of heat in the household. This could lead to more comfortable winters, especially for our unpredictable St. Louis climate!
Call Galmiche & Sons for Your Furnace Efficiency Reading Today!
If you would like to learn more about how efficient your furnace is or to get answers to any questions that were not answered here call us today at 314-993-1110. If it is more convenient for you, feel free to fill out our contact form online. Whichever you choose, we look forward to helping with all of your St. Louis heating & air conditioning dilemmas!
