Would you believe that more than 50% of your home’s energy costs are for your heating and cooling? This is why it’s essential to maintain an energy-efficient HVAC system.

Furnace efficiency standards were last revised to an Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE) rating of 80% in 2015. This rating system calculates how effective your furnace is at converting natural gas into heat. An AFUE rating of 80% means your furnace loses about 20% of the fuel it uses while generating heat.

In 2022, the U.S. government revealed new energy-efficiency standards for residential gas furnaces that would significantly reduce emissions, save homeowners money and encourage sustainability.

This proposal is anticipated to:

  • Save Americans $1.9 billion annually.
  • Reduce carbon emissions by 373 million metric tons and methane emissions by 5.1 million tons over 30 years, the equivalent of what 61 million homes emit each year.

Starting in 2029, the updated rule would demand all new gas furnaces to feature AFUE ratings of 95%. This means furnaces would combust nearly 100% of the gas into usable heat.

With these facts in mind, you may be asking yourself "what happens to my existing furnace"? As of now, not much, as the proposed rule won't go into effect until 2029 at the earliest and doesn’t affect furnaces that are already in use.

But if your furnace is nearing the end of its life and a replacement is needed in soon, highly energy-efficient furnaces are now available. Learn how these furnaces can lower your monthly energy bills.

Guide to Condensing Furnaces

How Condensing Furnaces Work

A condensing furnace is a style of heating system that uses a secondary heat exchanger to collect wasted heat from the furnace's exhaust gases. This decreases the quantity of energy wasted, increases energy efficiency and lowers carbon-monoxide emissions. It also will take less natural gas to produce the same rate of heat when comparing one to other types of furnaces.

How Condensing Furnaces Differ from Non-Condensing Furnaces

The biggest difference between a condensing furnace and a non-condensing furnace is condensing models use a secondary heat exchanger to gather any wasted heat from its exhaust gases, while the latter does not.

Expected Longevity of a Condensing Furnace

The life span of a condensing furnace depends on the brand, model and other factors. In most cases, a condensing furnace should last between 10-20 years with appropriate maintenance and regular service. If you don’t schedule routine maintenance, it may have a significantly shorter life span.

Why Condensing Furnaces Are More Expensive

Generally, condensing furnaces type of system is significantly more efficient than standard, single-speed furnaces, as it only consumes the minimum amount of energy necessary to heat your home, saving you money in the long run.

Many variable-speed furnaces are condensing furnaces, although some are available in non-condensing models with lower AFUE ratings. If a manufacturer wants a furnace to be classified as a condensing furnace, it must offer an AFUE rating of 90% or higher.

Do Variable-Speed Furnaces Run Constantly?

A variable-speed furnace doesn’t need to stay on all the time. Alternatively, it runs at different speeds depending on the temperature in your Fredericksburg home as well as the amount of energy it requires to sustain that temperature.

When sufficient energy is necessary to maintain your preferred temperature level, the furnace will shift to a higher speed to handle the demand. Doing this will ensure more efficient heating in your home while also offering quieter operation.

Guide to Two-Stage Furnaces

Two-Stage Furnaces: What They Are and How They Work

A two-stage furnace is a type of heating system that utilizes two different stages of operation — high and low. During the low stage, the furnace runs at a reduced capacity in order to maintain the chosen temperature for your home more efficiently. During the high stage, the furnace will instead run at maximum capacity to satisfy demands for greater heat. With a two-stage furnace, you can maintain improved energy efficiency and steady temperatures all across your home.

While two-stage furnaces are very efficient, not all all types are condensing furnaces.

Does a Two-Stage Furnace Operate All the Time?

A two-stage furnace won’t run all the time. In the low stage of operation, the furnace runs at reduced capacity in order to maintain a planned temperature more efficiently within your home. When more energy is needed to reach the set temperature, the furnace will switch to its high stage and runs at full capacity. Because of this, two-stage furnaces are able to help reduce energy costs without operating continuously.

Comparing Two-Stage and Variable-Speed Furnaces

Two-stage furnaces have two stages of functionality, low and high. During the low stage, the furnace runs at reduced capacity to help maintain a desired level of comfort within your home. When a greater demand for warmth or cooling is desired, the furnace will change over to its high stage and operate at full capacity.

Variable-speed furnaces, meanwhile, can run at multiple speeds in order to sustain a comfortable temperature at home. As such, variable-speed furnaces offer greater savings on your utility bills .

Differences Between One- and Two-Stage Furnaces

One-stage furnaces have a single stage motor and operate either at full capacity or not at all. This translates to higher energy bills because the furnace is always running in order to maintain a desired comfort level at home.

Two-stage furnaces, by comparison, have two stages of operation, low and high. During the low stage, the furnace runs at lower capacity in order to maintain the desired temperature more efficiently. When more warmth or cooling is needed, the furnace will shift to its high stage and operate at peak capacity.

Schedule Your Furnace Installation with Childress Heating & AC Today

Modern furnace technology can be confusing. That’s why Childress Heating & AC specialists are here to help with a no-cost, no-pressure estimate for furnace installation. We’ll assess your home, your heating requirements and your budget before helping you find the ideal solution. Call us at 540-675-4306 to get started today!