When comparing different furnaces or heat pumps, take a look at the heating efficiency ratings: AFUE and HSPF. These ratings can help you choose a heating unit for your Hahnville, Louisiana, home. Here’s a short guide to heating efficiency ratings and how they can help you choose.
What Does AFUE Mean?
AFUE is an efficiency rating for furnaces and boilers, and it stands for Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency. AFUE is given as a percentage and represents the percentage of fuel a heating unit converts to heat for your home. Selecting a furnace with an AFUE close to 100 means essentially none of its fuel goes to waste.
Older furnaces can have an AFUE as low as 56, while modern high-efficiency furnaces can achieve an AFUE rating up to 99. When you’re paying for expensive furnace fuel — be it oil or gas — consider upgrading your older furnace to a new, efficient unit.
An inefficient furnace may not be able to heat your home to a comfortable temperature in the coldest days of winter. A properly sized, high-efficiency unit will keep you comfortable without a large heating bill.
What Does HSPF Mean?
HSPF is the heat efficiency rating for heat pumps (also called ductless mini-split systems). HSPF stands for Heating Seasonal Performance Factor, a ratio that compares heat output to electrical input. The rating takes into account efficiency changes during seasonal temperature variations over a year.
New heat pumps are required to have a minimum HSPF of 7.7, and the most highly efficient units can achieve an HSPF of 10. When choosing a heat pump, check the HSPF. The higher the HSPF, the more efficient and cost-effective the unit will be.
A heat pump is one of the most efficient heating systems on the market today and can save you money on your energy bill all winter long.
Bryans United Air Conditioning can equip your Hahnville home or business with a highly efficient American Standard heat pump. To learn more about our services, call 504-208-2071 to speak with an expert about your home’s heating and cooling needs.
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