Not only can a gas furnace save you up to 35% on your gas bill, there are also rebates available that can help offset the cost of updating your current furnace. If you currently have an electric furnace, or don’t have a high efficiency furnace, here are a few things you might consider.
Gas or Electric Heat?
Are you using electricity to heat your home? While the winter season in Florida isn’t very long, most still want to save money when their heater is in use. In most states, including Florida, electricity is considerably more expensive than gas. Electricity takes longer to heat while a gas furnace produces maximum heat as soon as the burners start running.
What Determines High Efficiency?
Furnace efficiency is measured in AFUE (or Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency). A furnace’s AFUE measures how efficiently it is converting fuel into energy. Older furnaces have an AFUE rating of about as low as 60%. That means that only 60% percent of the fuel is being used while the other 40% is being wasted.
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) requires new furnaces to have a minimum AFUE of 80 percent. Therefore, even a basic new furnace will beat older models in terms of efficiency.
High-efficiency furnaces feature impressive AFUE numbers, ranging from 90 to 98.5 percent. These ratings are achieved with electric or hot surface igniters. This means they do not rely on a pilot light. They also have highly advanced exchangers that repurpose warmth from the exhaust. Together, these features allow the most efficient models to only lose 1.5 percent of their energy during the heating process.
How much of the gas you pay for do you want to lose? 1.5 percent lost is far more efficient than losing almost half of what you spend in an older furnace!
How Much Money Will I Save?
Not only can you save money in your gas bill for the life of your furnace. You can get rebates from your gas company up to $725 if you apply for them within the first year of upgrading your furnace.
Any big purchase for your home is important and a furnace is no exception. Buying a high-efficiency furnace is one of the best ways to ensure you get the best value possible.
If you would like to know more about how you can save money by switching to a high-efficiency furnace and you live in Marion County, give us a call today for a no obligation assessment of your current furnace and recommendations on how to make your home more efficient. Our trained technicians are just that, technicians. They are not sales people. We offer 24/7 call support and our trained specialists can answer any questions you may have.
