If you’re interested in improving the efficiency of your home, you should look into HVAC equipment pieces like the condensing furnace. Newer technology is used in high efficiency condensing furnaces that save on energy costs and boast efficiency ratings of more than 90 percent Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE).
A furnace’s annual fuel utilization efficiency rating is the ratio of fuel converted to heat and fuel entering a furnace. The higher the AFUE percentage, the more efficient a furnace is. A high efficiency condensing furnace attains superior efficiency thanks to the fact that it doesn’t give off heat in ways that don’t warm the home.
Below are a few more of the characteristics of high efficiency condensing furnaces that make this type of furnace more efficient:
Heat Exchanger Technology
A major difference between conventional furnaces and condensing furnaces is that condensing furnaces use two heat exchangers that allow them to extract heat for a longer period of time. Conventional furnaces are less effective at extracting heat in the process of fuel combustion.
Air Recycling Improvements
Condensing furnaces feature two different types of blower motors. They either have the same type of electric motor found in traditional furnaces, or they have a direct current Electronically Commutating Motor. One difference between blower components in conventional furnaces and condensing furnaces is that high efficiency furnaces use insulated blower components that allow for increased efficiency.
Fuel Combustion Advantages
Although both condensing furnaces and conventional furnaces have gas burners, combustion chambers, and electronic ignitions, the fuel combustion in a condensing furnace does differ slightly. Condensing furnaces typically have a two stage burner gas valve rather than a single stage burner gas valve. This allows the burner flame to be adjusted depending on the amount of heat that needs to be produced.
Venting
The combustion exhaust of a condensing furnace shows fundamental differences in comparison to that of a traditional furnace. In a condensing furnace, the flue exhaust stays fairly cool, and a plastic pipe can be used to vent it.
Contact us at Paschal Heat, Air & Geothermal to learn more about furnace efficiency.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Springdale, Arkansas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about condensing furnace and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
Credit/Copyright Attribution: “Filipe-Frazao/Shutterstock”
479.900.0784
