Saving Money and Helping the Environment with an Energy Efficient Furnace


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Furnaces that Can Reduce Your Utility Bill and are Good for the Earth

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You can save up to $100 per year with an easy to install programmable thermostat.

Natural gas went from about $6.00 to about $14.00 on the commodities market in 2005. Low natural gas prices look like they're a thing of the past.

One of the best things you can do to use less energy, reduce the amount of pollution you are personally responsible for and reduce your heating bill is to replace your old furnace with a newer, fuel efficient one.

An older furnace may be only 66% efficient and cost up to $730 per year to operate.

Over 10 years, an Energy Star furnace could save as much as $1,700 in energy costs.

AFUE (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency) is the standard measure of fuel efficiency for furnaces. The higher the AFUE percentage, the more energy-efficient or fuel-efficient the furnace. The U.S. government’s established minimum AFUE rating for a furnace is 78 percent. ENERGY STAR qualified furnaces have an AFUE rating of 90% or greater, making them about 15% more efficient than standard models. The most efficient models have AFUE ratings over 94%.

Heating can account for almost 2/3 of your annual energy bill.

Manufacturers of furnaces that have earned the ENERGY STAR label include some of the recognized names like Amana, Carrier, Bryant, Rheem-Ruud, and Trane. Look for the ENERGY STAR logo when looking for a new furnace.

When looking for a furnace, you may want to look for one with a variable speed fan. These can be quieter than conventional units.