What Are 3 Ways That You Can Tell If Your Heater Is Energy Efficient?
The heating system plays a crucial role in your home because it enhances the level of your indoor comfort during the cold season. The heater keeps your house at a comfortable temperature and protects your family from cold-related illnesses. It also prevents winter plumbing problems like frozen pipes. The right heating system is durable, energy efficient, and quiet. Having an energy efficient heater means you can reap benefits like lower energy costs, even heating in house, and reduced maintenance bills. You can avoid home heating emergencies and more. Read on to find out three ways you can determine if you have an efficient heater. This article also includes tips on how you can achieve improved heating system efficiency.
How to Tell If Your Heater Is Energy-Efficient
Contents
You need to find out your home’s square footage first when buying a new heating system. This allows you to choose a heater with the most suitable heating capacity for your home. The US Department of Energy (DOE) states that older heating systems usually have around 56% to 70% energy efficiency, while modern heaters can have as high as 98.5% efficiency. It should be noted that the heating system’s efficiency can be reduced by up to 5% annually, depending on the maintenance you give it. Here are three aspects to look into to find out whether you have an efficient heating system or not:
Heating System Age
Typical residential heating systems have a lifespan between 15 and 20 years. Proper maintenance can help ensure your heating system remains as efficient as possible for many years. However, wear and tear can cause the system’s efficiency to drop. The age of your heating system can clue you in on its efficiency. Older systems tend to be less efficient and vice versa. If you are still unsure of your heater’s energy efficiency level despite knowing how old it is, consult a certified HVAC technician to assist you.
Energy Bills & Home Heating Costs
Your energy bills can fluctuate depending on the season and your heating requirements. Nevertheless, the cumulative energy costs for the year shouldn’t be that much different from the past year’s costs unless the energy expenses per unit have increased. If all other factors are the same, compare the energy bills from the same time of the previous year to determine if any unexplainable increases in your heating costs are present.
If there’s a surge in your energy bills, it can point to the reduced efficiency of your heating system. This is because a heater with low efficiency needs to work harder and longer to sufficiently heat the room or area. As a result, it will consume more power, so your energy costs will increase.
AFUE Rating
The Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency ratio, shortened to AFUE, is the efficiency rating of a heater. Specifically, the AFUE rating can be determined by dividing the quantity of heat output by the quantity of heat input (which is the amount of fuel used). For example, a 95% AFUE rating translates to a system that can convert 95% of its fuel to heat while the remaining 5% dissipates through the vent.
Most manufacturers put an energy label on their heating systems where the AFUE rating is indicated. Therefore, you can check the label, if there’s any, to determine your heater’s efficiency. Check the heater’s serial number or model if you can’t find the label. You can use this info to search for the AFUE rating online via the manufacturer’s website. Knowing the AFUE rating of your heater will tell you if it’s energy-efficient or not.
How To Improve Your Heating System’s Efficiency
A low-efficiency heater can put your comfort at risk during cold days and require frequent repairs. It can also increase your energy costs. Depending on its fuel type, a less efficient heating system can also mean you will have a higher carbon footprint. Here are several tips that can help you improve the efficiency of your heating system:
- Clean and change HVAC filters regularly: A clogged HVAC filter means the system will work harder to pull air through it. Therefore, you should always replace the furnace filters regularly to promote energy-efficient operation.
- Insulate your house: Enhance your home’s thermal envelope so that it retains the heat inside during winter, lowering the burden on your heater.
- Book annual HVAC inspections: Regular heater tune-ups can help improve your heating system’s efficiency. Therefore, ensure that a qualified HVAC technician performs regular checks to resolve heater problems and increase your comfort while reducing your energy costs.
- Install a programmable thermostat: A programmable thermostat automatically adjusts the settings based on your heating requirements. This way, your system only runs when needed, and even then, it only uses the quantity of fuel per your home’s heating needs.
Why You Should Replace an Outdated Heater
There will come a time when regular maintenance won’t help much in improving your heating system’s efficiency. When this happens, consider replacing your heater so you can reap the following benefits:
- Indoor comfort: New heaters have high efficiencies, so they are more likely able to provide adequate home heating. Colder days mean your home requires enough heating to achieve enhanced comfort, which an old heating system may fail to deliver.
- Avoid regular breakdowns: The wear and tear of old heating systems cause them to break down more often. Replacing your heater means you prevent frequent breakdowns and save on repair costs.
- Save on heating costs: High efficiency usually means lower energy expenses, which is largely guaranteed when you get new heaters.
Conclusion
The heating system’s age, AFUE rating, and checking your energy bills can help you ascertain if you have an energy-efficient heating system or not. An HVAC contractor should inspect and maintain your system on an annual basis to enhance your comfort and efficiency. However, you may need to replace your heater if it is old and outdated.
Call Townsend Energy For All Of Your HVAC Requirements
When you need top-notch cooling and heating services in northeastern Massachusetts, southern New Hampshire, and Maine, call Townsend Energy. Our team of professionally certified and highly skilled technicians can provide high-quality heating and cooling tune-ups, installations, repairs, and replacements. Rest assured, we have the right tools, years of experience, and extensive knowledge in servicing your HVAC system correctly. Click the link to view our service area.
Our company offers one of the most affordable HVAC service prices in the area. Our maintenance services can help you achieve increased energy efficiency and improved comfort while reducing your home heating and cooling bills. If you need to repair or replace your HVAC system, we can recommend the most suitable one for your home within your budget. We guarantee all of our work to ensure your satisfaction. Be sure to call Townsend Energy today to book your next service appointment. We offer free, in-home estimates.
Contact us now at (800) 722-4101 to find out more!