If you're looking for ways to save on your winter heating costs -- now and for years to come -- consider investing in a condensing gas furnace.
These highly efficient furnaces have an AFUE rating of at least 98 percent. By comparison, furnaces older than 10 years often have an AFUE of up to 65 percent, which means that only 65 percent of the fuel consumed by the unit is converted to heat for your home. The remaining 35 percent is vented as exhaust.
A condensing furnace has several unique components that contribute to its highly efficient operation.
- Variable-speed blower - Conventional furnaces have two speeds: on and off. A condensing furnace features a blower that modulates to meet the real-time heating needs of your home. On milder days, the blower slows, heating your home more efficiently with less electricity. The blower motor on a conventional furnace is a split-capacitor type, which uses enough electricity to power a refrigerator. The electronically commutated motor (ECM) on a condensing furnace uses 75 percent less electricity and runs at a slower but more continuous speed, offering excellent air filtration and heat distribution for your home.
- Modulating gas valve - The gas valve on a condensing furnace regulates the flow of fuel from 40 percent to 100 percent capacity, helping conserve fuel and lowering the unit's carbon footprint considerably. On warmer days, less fuel is used to heat your home, translating to lower energy costs.
- Secondary heat exchanger - A conventional furnace has one heat exchanger. As it heats your air, the resulting exhaust gases are vented outside. The condensing furnace features a secondary heat exchanger that recovers the exhaust from the primary heat exchanger and uses it to heat more air for your home. This results in a much more efficient system that makes the most of your energy dollars.
For more expert advice about condensing furnaces, please feel free to contact us at Rodenhiser Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning. We serve the Route 495/128 area with an unsurpassed dedication to professionalism and excellent customer service.
Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about furnaces and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Solutions Guide.
Image via Shutterstock.com
Nice people.
Great service.
Since 1928Terms & Conditions | Privacy Policy
Read From Over 14,000 Happy Customers
-
Both Alex and Patrick were knowledgeable, courteous, and professional. They made a change that might have solved the recent problem and have structured a more complete solution. We agreed to this...
-
Mike was thorough, thoughtful and considerate. Covered their shoes before entering, surveyed my issue and provided an explanation of the services and costs. Great Job!
-
Alex did a great job providing an explanation of the services provided and went out of his way to offer assistance/advice on other issues outside of our scheduled maintenance visit.
-
Brian did an excellent job inspecting our 18-year old boiler and replacing some of the accessory hardware that needed it, he also adjusted the outgoing hot water settings for our radiators and...
-
Rodenhiser is my one stop shop!!! They take care of my HVAC, electrical, and plumbing issues & are always helpful addressing any questions I may have about the systems in my house! Everyone...
-
Chris G. and Nick V. showed up bright and early at 8am to fix my water heater issue. They were on time, polite and were able to fix an issue that has been plaguing my house for a good year. They...
Call Rodenhiser at 1-800-462-9710
When you are looking for plumbing, electrical, heating or air conditioning in the Route 495 / 128 area, you will be delighted that you called Massachusetts' trusted choice since 1928.
With a total dedication to professional workmanship and excellent service, discover why families and businesses continue to trust Rodenhiser after generations of service
