Conserving energy in the winter is a huge priority for Texas residents, especially since we spend so much on our cooling costs during our long summers. You may even be tempted to use your heater as little as possible this season to avoid high energy costs—but this isn’t necessary. You can still be comfortable during our chilliest temperatures without hurting your wallet too much.
Of course, this is all only true if you have an efficient heater. Your system may be inefficient if you’ve neglected maintenance, or if the heater has aged to the point that it’s beyond its useful service life. It may also be inefficient if you never actually bought a high-efficient system to begin with. Is your heating system running efficiently? Keep reading to find out.
Understanding AFUE and HSPF
If you utilize a boiler or a furnace to heat your home, then its efficiency level is measured with an AFUE rating, which stands for Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency. Modern furnaces and boilers are now required by the Federal Trade Commission to display their AFUE ratings, which allows you to compare different models’ efficiencies side-by-side. This rating measures the efficiency of how the system converts its fuel to heat over the course of a year.
Giving heating systems an AFUE rating is the manufacturer’s way of helping you make an educated decision when it comes to purchasing a furnace or a boiler. If a manufacturer gives the heater and AFUE of 90%, this means that it will convert 90% of the energy in the fuel to heat, with only 10% being lost to flue gasses.
Heat pumps are measured by a different standard. Heat pumps in general are very efficient heating systems, but there is a rating you should pay attention to: the HSPF rating. This stands for the Heating Seasonal Performance Factor, and it measures the total space heating required divided by the amount of electrical energy consumed. Both the compressor and electric heating elements are taken into account.
For professional heating services throughout Austin, TX and beyond, contact Roxnovak’s Services today.
