We Are the ONLY Canadian Winner of Lennox's Most Prestigious Circle of Excellence Award

The Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio is a cooling efficiency rating for air conditioners. The higher the SEER, the better the energy performance, the more you save.

AFUE stands for Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency. The fuel in this case being natural gas. Although electricity is also used for the operation of the furnace blower and inducer motor, when it comes to AFUE we are only referring to the source of fuel that is used to generate heat.

Given that the AFUE is an efficiency term, the AFUE of a gas furnace is rated from a scale of 0 to 100% gas consumption efficiency. Today in Toronto, any furnace with an AFUE of 94%, is considered a high-efficiency furnace – based on Canadian government regulations. This used to be at 90% followed by 92%, previously.

What do you think the AFUE of your furnace is? Although, this number might not be readily available, you could always calculate it based on information that should be supplied on the furnace sticker – usually inside the furnace, meaning that you have to open the furnace front door to get this info. The AFUE is the OUTPUT heating power/INPUT heating power. The INPUT and OUTPUT values are always displayed on the furnace sticker.  For a 20 to 30 year old furnace, you are usually looking at around 70% AFUE. Please do remember that the AFUE, depending on the quality of the furnace and the manner in which it has been maintained throughout the years, will slowly decline over the years. So, for instance, if a 25 year old furnace is rated to have an AFUE of 70%, its true efficiency is probably at around 60% after 25 years of hard work. This value can be far less depending on the furnace maintenance record.

If you have a furnace that is about 20 years old or older, its AFUE is probably around 60% at the present moment- which means that for every dollar you are paying to heat your home, only 60 cents is used towards actually heating your home. The other 40 cents is absolutely wasted.

Simple tips such as these can prevent your heating unit from failing during the times we need them most, frigid winter nights. Avoid emergency calls and:

• Have annual maintenance performed on your heating unit,
• Change the filter regularly (every 60 to 90 days),
• Hire a qualified and experienced technician to effectively fix any required furnace repairs

Replacing a furnace filter is an important step every homeowner must take to keep their home’s heating and cooling running efficiently for years to come – and to protect and improve indoor air quality by preventing indoor air contaminants. Dirty filters can cause a variety of malfunctions to your HVAC system including a/c ice build up and furnace overheating (due to airflow limitations) and it is often overlooked by homeowners. It is crucial to check your furnace filter monthly. Simply hold the filter towards light and see if light easily passes through the filter. If not, this is a great indication that the filter is dirty and needs to be changed. This action will ensure that you will get a better heating in the winter and air conditioning in the summer. The combination of furnace maintenance and air filter changes will increase energy efficiency, extend unit lifespan, improve air quality and lessen the chance of costly repairs.

Certain factors must also be considered in determining the correct time to change the filter. Such factors include:

• Type of furnace filter (pleated, fibreglass, reusable, etc)
• Pets
• The level of pollution around the home (construction, renovations, etc)
• Home air quality (smoking)

These factors can greatly affect an air filter life, and so, the best way of knowing when it’s time to replace the filter is by checking on it regularly.

In most parts of Canada, it will be more expensive to heat with an electric furnace than one using oil or gas. An exception would be if you heat primarily with a wood stove and use the furnace only infrequently as backup. In this case, the low cost and low maintenance requirements of an electric furnace may be a major advantage. Deciding between oil and gas furnaces is a matter of choice. Make the calculation to see if it is significantly cheaper to use one fuel or another based on current prices in your area. Oil furnaces require a tank and usually a chimney. There may be additional costs for chimney modification or oil storage tanks when purchasing an oil furnace. Some home insurance companies require periodic oil tank replacements. Check if a new gas furnace would also require relining the chimney. Consult with your contractor and make sure that these costs are included in your estimates.