Furnace ratings are an important element in choosing the correct system for your home. They aren’t about the quality of particular brands of models, but about the efficiency of the individual furnace. Furnace ratings allow you to determine the cost effectiveness and fuel usage of each type of furnace. They can help you decide what a given furnace will really cost you, given how much you pay for fuel now, and can even allow you to make comparisons between oil, gas, and electric furnaces.

Efficiency ratings have been mandated for some time, and a minimum efficiency of seventy-eight percent for home heating systems has been required since 1992. Heaters for mobile homes are mandated to have an efficiency of at least seventy-five percent. This regulation was passed to help address rising fuel costs and environmental concerns.

Furnace ratings are calculated in part by AFUE, or the annual fuel utilization factor. This is expressed as the percentage of fuel that is actually used to produce heat, versus the fuel that does not get used. A furnace with an efficiency factor of eighty-five percent would use that percentage of the fuel for heat and fail to burn the rest or burn it inefficiently. A more efficient furnace, with a ninety percent AFUE rating, would cost a homeowner less in terms of the amount of fuel used.

It’s important to remember that these furnace ratings don’t tell us about the durability of a give model, or the expense of installing them. These are simply the way to tell which are the most efficient burners. The best value available can be computed by combining the appropriate furnace size, the furnace ratings, and information about the performance of a given brand or model.

In general, furnace ratings are somewhat more efficient (and emissions are lower) for natural gas fired furnaces than for oil fired ones. Boilers generally rate better than forced air systems, since some energy is lost in forcing the air through the ducts. Electric furnaces are generally considered to be the least efficient in terms of furnace ratings, but also do not require gas or oil delivery in rural areas, making them a common choice there.

Choosing the right kind of furnace is still complex, but furnace ratings do make it a little easier. Take the time to learn about them and check out the rating for your potential furnace before you buy. It could save you a lot of money, as well as a few headaches. You may be surprised by what you find out when you check out furnace ratings for models you’re thinking about buying. The best deal might not be the one you thought it was.