When it is frigid and bone-chilling outside, our furnaces keep us warm and cozy inside our home. Speaking of winter and furnaces, the modern high-efficiency gas furnaces have taken the market by storm. With improved technology and performance, these high-efficiency heating systems are capable of lowering your utility bills significantly!
Want to know how do these advanced heating systems actually work and what makes them better than their conventional counterparts? Well, it all boils down to their smart components that are doing a great job making your home or office all the more comfortable!
How Do We Measure A System’s Efficiency?
To be confident about the efficiency of your heating system, one good rule of thumb is to check its Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE) ratings. The AFUE rating represents your system’s capacity to produce heat against every unit of fuel consumed and is expressed as a percentage. Hence, a higher AFUE rating means lower fuel costs.
The Department of Energy only allows systems with at least 80 percent of AFUE rating to be sold in the U.S. However, heating systems with 90 percent or above ratings are the ones that are considered to be of high efficiency. The most efficient models can be of AFUE ratings as high as 98 percent. This means 98 percent of the total gas consumed by the system is converted into useable warmth while only 2 percent of it is wasted and lost in the exhaust!
The Working Of Conventional Furnaces.
When a thermostat reads that the air temperature has dropped below the ideal setting, it signals the furnace for ignition. The valves open up and carry natural gas towards the burner inside the combustion chamber. This burner is then ignited through a pilot light or electronic ignition.
The flame warms up the heat exchanger where the air is heated and then circulated throughout the room via the ductwork. The noxious gases produced during the combustion of fuel are released outside the home via a flue or exhaust stack.
However, their poor AFUE rating – which is as low as 56 percent for many antiquated furnaces – is the major downside of conventional furnaces. With the augment of new, high-efficiency gas furnaces, you get more for less!
What Makes The Modern Furnaces Better Than The Old Ones
Equipping your heating system with a high-efficiency gas furnace can make all the difference in how you spend your fall and winter. Two incredible improvements spell the difference in the astounding operational efficiency of these systems.
1. Two Heat Exchangers
Today’s high-efficiency systems are empowered with an additional heating exchanger that recaptures the condensed gas – which gets lost in old furnaces – and converts it into reusable heat. The little exhaust gas produced is released outdoors through plastic pipe.
2. Sealed Combustion
The conventional furnaces draw air present inside the room for combustion. To compensate for this loss of air inside, it lets the cold air from outside leak into the room. On the other hand, high-efficiency systems have an air-intake pipe that extends through walls, outside the home, and draws the cold air in for combustion – letting the warm air stay inside. More than being energy efficient, these systems are safer than the conventional ones as there is a lesser chance of encountering backdrafts (wherein the exhaust gases are pulled down the chimney).
If you have any concerns regarding your HVAC system installed in your office or home, seek expert help from Arellano Heating & Air LLC today. Our HVAC specialist will give you the best advice and prompt service for all your heating and cooling needs.
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