Would you believe more than one-half of your home’s energy costs are linked to heating and cooling? This is why it’s so important to have an energy-efficient HVAC system.
Furnace efficiency standards were last updated to 80 AFUE in 2015. AFUE, or annualized fuel utilization efficiency, calculates how effective your furnace is at converting natural gas into heat. An 80 AFUE rating means your furnace will waste about 20% of the fuel it uses while creating heat.
In 2022, the Biden Administration proposed new energy-efficiency standards for residential gas furnaces that would greatly lower emissions, save homeowners money and encourage sustainability.
This proposal is anticipated to:
- Save Americans $1.9 billion annually.
- Cut down on carbon emissions by 373 million metric tons and methane emissions by 5.1 million tons over the next 25 - 30 years, the equivalent of what 61 million homes emit each year.
Starting in 2029, the proposed rule would require all new gas furnaces to be 95 AFUE. This means furnaces would convert nearly all the gas they use into heat.
With these facts in mind, you may be asking yourself "what happens to my existing furnace"? For the time being, very little, as the proposed rule won't go into effect until 2029 at the earliest and does not affect furnaces that are already in use.
But if you’re going to be needing furnace replacement in Laurel soon, highly energy-efficient furnaces are now available. See how these furnaces can save dollars each month off your energy bills.
Guide to Condensing Furnaces
How Condensing Furnaces Work
A condensing furnace is a type of heating system that uses a secondary heat exchanger to collect wasted heat from the furnace's exhaust gases. This reduces the volume of energy wasted, improves energy efficiency and lowers CO2 emissions. It also demands less natural gas to produce the same volume of heat compared to other types of furnaces.
How Condensing Furnaces Differ from Non-Condensing Furnaces
The biggest difference between a condensing furnace and a non-condensing furnace is that the former uses a secondary heat exchanger to capture any wasted heat from its exhaust gases, while the latter does not.
Equipment Lifespan
The life span of a condensing furnace will depend on the brand, model and other factors. Generally speaking, a condensing furnace will last between 10-20 years with proper maintenance and regular service. If your heating system doesn’t have regular furnace maintenance, the equipment may have a significantly shorter life span.
Why Condensing Furnaces Are More Expensive
Oftentimes, condensing furnaces are more costly than non-condensing furnaces. This is due to their increased efficiency and the extra components required to capture any wasted heat from its exhaust gases. The added energy savings can usually counterbalance the expense of purchase, however, so long term, it may be worth investing in a condensing furnace.
Guide to Variable-Speed Furnaces
Variable-Speed Furnaces: What Are They and How Do They Operate
A variable-speed furnace can switch its fan speed subject to the heating requirements of your [[location]] home. It performs at a slower speed until there's a temperature decrease and then increases speed up to produce more heat. This type of system is significantly more efficient than conventional furnaces, as it only consumes the amount of energy required to heat your home, and thus, saves you money on your utility bill.
The majority of variable-speed furnaces are condensing furnaces, although some are available in non-condensing models with lower AFUE ratings. To allow a furnace to be classified as a condensing furnace, it must be 90 AFUE or higher.
Do Variable-Speed Furnaces Run Constantly?
A variable-speed furnace doesn’t operate all the time. Rather, it runs at different speeds based on the temperature in your [[location]] home and the amount of energy it needs to keep that temperature.
When too much energy is required to maintain your chosen temperature level, the furnace will shift up to a higher speed to manage that demand. When this happens, you can expect more efficient heating and cooling in your home while also offering quieter operation.
Guide to Two-Stage Furnaces
Two-Stage Furnaces: What They Are and How They Work
As the name suggests, a furnace with two levels of operating (low or high) is called a two-stage furnace. In the low stage, the furnace operates at a reduced capacity as a way to maintain a preferred temperature in your home more efficiently. During the high stage, the furnace will operate at full capacity to satisfy demands for greater warmth or cooling. With a two-stage furnace, you can experience improved energy efficiency and consistent temperatures throughout your home.
While two-stage furnaces are exceptionally efficient, not all systems are condensing furnaces.
Does a Two-Stage Furnace Function All the Time?
A two-stage furnace should not run constantly. In the low stage of operation, the furnace runs at reduced capacity in order to maintain a desired temperature more efficiently within your home. When additional warmth or cooling is needed, the heating system will flip to its high stage and run at full capacity. For this reason, two-stage furnaces are able to help reduce energy costs as it is not operating continually.
Differences Between Two-Stage and Variable-Speed Furnaces
Two-stage furnaces have two stages of operation, low and high. During the low stage, the furnace works at reduced capacity in order to maintain a desired temperature within your home. When a greater demand for warmth or cooling is necessary, the furnace will shift to its high stage and operate at peak capacity.
Variable-speed furnaces can run at multiple speeds in order to keep a more accurate desired temperature within your home. As such, variable-speed furnaces offer greater savings on your utility bills, because it has more options in terms of functionality.
Differences Between One- and Two-Stage Furnaces
One-stage furnaces have a single stage of operation and operate either at full capacity or not at all. This translates to higher energy bills because the furnace will run constantly in order to maintain a desired level of comfort within your home.
Conversely, two-stage furnaces have two stages of operation, low and high. Within the the low stage, the furnace runs at reduced capacity in order to maintain a desired temperature more efficiently within your home. When additional warmth or cooling is needed, the furnace will shift to its high stage and operate at full capacity.
Arrange Your Furnace Install Appointment with H&C Heating and Cooling Today
Making sense of all the modern furnace technology can be confusing. That’s why our H&C Heating and Cooling specialists are here to help with a free, no-pressure estimate for furnace installation. We’ll assess your home, your heating needs and your budget, and then we’ll help you find the ideal solution. Connect with us at 301-960-3247 to get started today!