If you’re planning to install or upgrade to a newer heating system, you’ll likely encounter a few oil-powered options. Heating oil furnaces don’t need a pipeline unlike natural gas furnaces. They can be installed in any neighborhood. They’re also more reliable when producing heat and can stand up to harsh winter temperatures without breaking down unexpectedly. But even if heating oil is their primary fuel source, how do they stack up to other furnaces and heating systems? Our heating oil and HVAC repair experts at Thomas J. Fannon & Sons share more insight.
You’ve probably heard of heating oil being “dirty” and how natural gas burns much cleaner. However, the heating oil produced and delivered to many homes today isn’t the same as what was available to consumers around 20 to 30 years ago. This is because the heating oil industry has made significant progress in making it cleaner and more efficient in burning over the last century.
The furnace’s fuel oil efficiency is determined by the AFUE or Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency. This is a number found in a furnace or boiler unit and indicates how much fuel it consumes. If an average heating oil furnace is rated with 84 AFUE, it means around 84 percent of the energy consumed by the unit goes to heating your home while the remaining 16 percent is lost either through the ductwork or chimney.
Consider upgrading your old furnace unit before winter starts. For instance, if your unit currently has an AFUE rating of around 60%, this means almost half of your heating costs are wasted while trying to keep your home comfortable. Most new oil furnaces have AFUE ratings between the federally-required minimum of 84% and around 90%. Some units are even more efficient than their natural gas counterparts as they can reach efficiencies as high as 98%! This is mainly thanks to several advancements and innovations that made oil-powered furnaces and boilers more efficient than they were a few decades ago.
When it comes to quality heating oil and water heater repair, Thomas J. Fannon & Sons has you covered. Contact our team of experts today by calling (703) 549-5700 or completing our convenient online form!
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