Furnaces are available with different efficiency ratings. The highest-efficiency models use the least amount of fuel, all things being equal. They also cost significantly more than the lower-efficiency products. When it comes to furnace installation in Woodland Hills, homeowners have to consider how much they can afford to spend upfront, as some simply cannot pay for a more expensive appliance when the old one needs to be replaced.
Efficiency Ratings
A standard efficiency furnace is rated at 80 percent. This means that 20 percent of the gas used to produce energy is actually lost to exhaust. Federal regulations do not allow installation of furnaces at lower than 78 percent efficiency. The highest-efficiency products are rated at 97 percent, but at the present time, most high-efficiency furnaces being installed in the country have a 95-percent rating.
In most cases, the extra cost for high-efficiency furnace installation in Woodland Hills should be made up before the appliance reaches the end of its lifespan. However, this does not apply in all situations, so homeowners will want to discuss this with the heating and cooling technician before making a decision. In addition, parts tend to be more expensive for the higher-efficiency models, so repair work costs more.
The Basic Math
The basic math to evaluate these features involves adding up the entire heating cost for a normal year and then subtracting 15 percent of that. This is roughly what should be the difference when upgrading to a high-efficiency furnace. This isn’t completely accurate, however, because simply having a new furnace should provide better efficiency than one that is 15 or 18 years old.
Single-Stage and Two-Stage Models
Another factor to consider is whether to have a single-stage or two-stage model installed by a contractor like Aladdin Air Conditioning & Heating. Heating and cooling contractors generally encourage customers to choose the two-stage version. The first stage has the blower running at a slower speed and is more efficient. Much of the time, that first stage is all that’s needed to warm the house to the desired temperature. That means an 80-percent efficiency furnace can use less fuel at the slow speed than a 95-percent single-stage furnace. Visit Aladdin Air Conditioning & Heating for more information.
