| If you're looking at installing a new furnace in your | | | | of electricity, so buying a furnace that is not only |
| home, now is a great time to do it. You can get a | | | | efficient with your gas or oil but also with your |
| tax credit from the government for buying a | | | | electricity can save you money on your energy |
| high-efficiency furnace, but you may need to | | | | bills. |
| know a little bit about how furnaces are rated so | | | | One of the most electrically efficient types of |
| that you can make the best possible choice for | | | | furnaces is one with a variable speed motor. |
| your home. | | | | These motors help precisely control the flow of |
| The most obvious rating for furnaces is the one | | | | the air in your home by turning off and on or |
| assigned by the Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency. | | | | moving at different speed during different times. |
| This rating basically looks at the percentage of | | | | These types of motors can save you lots of |
| heat produced for every dollar's worth of fuel | | | | money on your electric bill. |
| that your furnace consumers. Today, all furnaces | | | | Another way to save energy is to find a furnace |
| have to be at least 78% efficient, which means | | | | that has two-stage heating, which means that it |
| that 78% of the fuel that is consumed by your | | | | puts out high heat on very cold days and lower |
| furnace actually goes to heat your home. | | | | heat on milder days. Most of the time, the |
| Obviously, then, the higher the AFUE rating of the | | | | furnace will run at the lower heat output, which |
| furnace you choose, the more money the | | | | means that it will use less energy on these days. |
| furnace will save you. If you buy an 80% efficient | | | | Combining the actual AFUE ratings of the furnaces |
| furnace, you'll lose 20% of your fuel costs into | | | | you're choosing with the knowledge of its |
| empty space, and if you buy a 90% efficient | | | | electrical efficiency and the type of heating that it |
| furnace, you'll only waste 10% of your energy | | | | offers can help you make the best choice on an |
| costs. Chances are likely that a furnace that's | | | | energy-efficient furnace. You can basically save |
| more than a decade old will be losing you more | | | | yourself even more money by doing the research |
| than 20% of your energy costs, so a new | | | | on the type of furnace you're buying rather than |
| high-efficiency furnace can save you a lot of | | | | simply buying a furnace that happens to have a |
| money. | | | | high energy-efficiency rating. Even some Energy |
| While a furnace's rating is really important, it isn't | | | | Star rated furnaces could cause your electrical bills |
| the only important thing that you should consider | | | | to rise - or at least not to fall when you replace |
| when selecting a furnace. For instance, furnaces | | | | your furnace - so be sure that you look at all the |
| consume not only oil or natural gas but also | | | | aspects of your furnace before you buy a new |
| electricity, which runs their fans and motors. | | | | one. |
| Different furnaces will consume different amounts | | | | |