Gas Furnace vs Electric – Pros & Cons

Gas Furnace vs Electric – Pros & Cons

When it comes to the gas furnace vs electric furnace debate, there are supporters on both sides. But is there a clear cut better choice? To answer that I would say that the majority of people, and experts, would say that gas furnaces are the better choice.

That doesn’t necessarily mean that it is the best choice for you though.

To help you decide for yourself, let’s go over some of the pros and cons of both gas and electric furnaces. We will start with availability.

Availability

Determining what fuel sources are available in your area is the first step in analyzing which setup is best for you.

In the US, natural gas is not an available source of heat for every city. Thankfully, here in the Jackson, TN area it is! But, on the other hand, electricity is available in every city. If natural gas is not available in your area, then obviously a natural gas supplied furnace would be a “con” for you. You could always go with propane gas though if you really wanted to go the gas route. Although, understand that it probably isn’t going to be as cost-effective as natural gas.

How Much Can a High Efficiency Furnace Save?

The main reason that people consider a high efficiency furnace is savings. Savings on our energy bill typically translates to savings in our bank account. Who doesn’t want that? I know I do!

But how much savings can be expected by switching to a high efficiency furnace? A savings of at least 10% can be expected. This is because a standard furnace has anywhere between a 60% to a 80% AFUE rating while high efficiency furnaces start at 90%. Today’s standard models have a minimum rating of 80%. The older models can be as low as 60% efficient. So determining the amount of savings you can expect starts with knowing the efficiency of your current furnace.

How to Determine the Efficiency of Your Current Furnace

To determine the efficiency or AFUE rating of your current furnace, there are a couple of ways to figure it out.

1) The most convenient method is simply finding the AFUE rating on the furnace itself. Find the sticker on the furnace that contains the model and/or serial number. The AFUE rating should be located on this sticker as well. You will find “AFUE” next to the number or the “%” symbol. This number will reveal the AFUE rating of your furnace. It will also likely be listed in the furnace’s manual if you still have it.

Should I Buy an 80% or 95% Efficiency Furnace?

When it comes to buying a new furnace, or a new anything for that matter, it seems like going with the newer, more efficient option would be the wisest choice – especially if savings is the goal. But, that’s not always the case. It really depends on your current situation and determining if a 95% efficiency furnace is right for you. When buying a new furnace, there are more factors at play than we might notice initially.

At first glance, most of us think that a furnace with a 95% efficiency rating (AFUE) is going to be a better option than a furnace that is 80% efficient. After all, that’s a 15% increase in efficiency! Well, there is truth to that, but let’s observe some other factors and elements that need to be considered before pulling the trigger on that high-efficiency furnace.

Other Factors That Affect a Furnace’s Efficiency

When determining a furnace’s efficiency, the AFUE rating is usually the measurement used to determine the efficiency. AFUE stands for annual fuel utilization rate. This is simply a measurement of how efficiently the furnace uses the fuel to actually produce and deliver heat. For example, a furnace with an AFUE rating of 80% means that 80% of the fuel that is used contributes to delivering heat to where it’s needed. The other 20% is lost during the process. A furnace with a 95% efficiency rating uses 95% of the fuel to produce and deliver heat to where it’s needed. The same amount of fuel is used in both cases. The same amount of money is spent on that fuel being used. But, in one scenario 80% of the fuel is used to contribute to delivering heat, whereas in the other scenario 95% of the fuel is used to contribute to delivering heat.

What is AFUE for Furnaces?

When it comes to understanding the numbers and traits of a furnace, there is probably nothing more important than AFUE or the AFUE rating. In short, this term determines the efficiency of the furnace. The AFUE rating is similar to the SEER or EER rating for an air conditioner. “AFUE” stands for Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency. It is corresponds to how efficiently the furnace utilizes and uses it’s fuel – whether it is propane, natural gas, electric or oil. The most efficient furnaces use the smallest ratio of usable fuel to wasted fuel that is needed to heat up the targeted space.

But how exactly is it calculated? And what is a good AFUE?

Let’s get into those questions below!

How is AFUE Calculated?

Annual fuel utilization efficiency is calculated by determining the percentage of fuel that is actually used in producing the heat that is applied to the targeted area in your home or business. In other words, it states how much of the fuel is actually applied towards heating the indoor environment. It states how much of the fuel is being utilized.

What Is the Most Energy Efficient Air Conditioner?

Today, energy efficiency is a very popular topic. And, with good reason. The more energy efficient a system or appliance is, the more money that is saved. And, since our heating and cooling systems make up the largest portion of our energy bills, finding the most energy efficient air conditioner is a wise pursuit.

So what is the most efficient air conditioner? Is it a split unit? A packaged unit? A heat pump? A Trane ac unit? A Carrier ac unit? Don’t worry, we will get to that. But first, let’s go over some important information to grasp and understand.

How to Determine an Air Conditioner’s Efficiency

One way that an air conditioner’s efficiency is documented is by it’s SEER rating. The SEER rating is determined according to the indoor cooling ability of an ac unit divided by how many watts it used (energy) per hour to maintain the set temperature. While the indoor temperature during these cycles stays the same, the outdoor temperature varies from cooler temps to high, hotter temps in order to provide realistic results.

It’s important to understand that a SEER rating doesn’t necessarily mean that the ac unit performs at this number on average or at a constant rate. It’s actually the maximum rate of efficiency that the unit can perform at. Since this is the standard across the board, it is still a great way to determine an air conditioner’s efficiency and a great comparison tool for you and me.