New Yorkers spend over half of their household energy expenditures on space heating, according to the Environmental Information Administration (EIA). Wouldn’t you feel better about that cost if you knew for sure that your furnace was as efficient as it could be? Do you know how efficient your furnace is compared to what’s on the market now? We’ll walk you through the steps to check how efficient your furnace is.

FER Regulations

In general, newer models make better use of their energy than older models. Of course, the higher price of installation for more efficient models may not be worth it for some, so it’s something you will have to factor in. One reason that a brand new furnace will be a better energy saver is the latest FER regulation enforced by the government.

This regulation is short for the fan energy rating requires that new furnace fans utilize energy conserving motors that are projected to reduce CO2 emissions by 180 million metric tons over the next thirty years! That means less fuel use and more savings for consumers, too!

AFUE Rating for Furnace

The AFUE rating stands for “annual fuel utilization efficiency.” The rating is essentially the percent of your furnace’s fuel that is used for heating. Particularly with gas and fuel oil powered heaters, a small amount of the fuel ends up as exhaust. Many old models have a rating in the 70s or low 80s, while some newer models can reach over 90 percent.

Oil to Gas Conversion

A full-on replacement may not be the only way to achieve greater efficiency. Another route is retrofitting. Master offers oil to gas conversion to change your furnace over to a more efficient fuel. There’s plenty of ways to save money and also help with carbon emissions and the environment.