As you shop around for your next furnace, chances are you're thinking about the comfort and convenience features it should have. That's a good thing, but it's all too easy to forget about how energy efficient it should be. This is where the annual fuel utilization efficiency rating - or AFUE, for short - comes in handy.
The following explains how AFUE works and what you can expect as you use AFUE ratings to select your home's next furnace.
- If your household budget is tight (and whose isn't?), then you may think that postponing or foregoing your annual service call for your cooling system is a good way to save a little money. However, such logic may just be a little short-sighted. Having your HVAC system professionally serviced before the start of the warm weather season can actually help save you money in the long run. Benefits of an annual HVAC service call
- If you turned on your home's central air conditioner today, and there is a buzzing sound coming from your furnace but no cooled air is coming out of your vents, then the capacitor on the system's blower motor has likely failed. A capacitor is a small electrical part that holds a charge and is necessary to start your furnace's blower motor. When the capacitor gets too old and will no longer hold a charge, then the blower motor is not able to start running and will make a buzzing sound.
- If you live in an area with a moderate climate – where the winters tend to be chilly but not overly cold – you may want to consider using a heat pump to heat and cool your home. This is an alternative to a traditional HVAC system where an air conditioner does the cooling and a furnace does the heating. Here's a closer look at heat pumps, how the operate, and why they're a good choice in a climate like yours.
- Air filters play a vital role in removing dirt and debris that could enter your HVAC system and cause problems. You need to regularly change or clean your air filter in order to have a fully functional air conditioning system. The owner's manual can give you some general instructions and guidance for choosing the best type of filters for your particular unit. But there are a few other qualities to look for when choosing the best filters for your central air conditioning unit.