New Jersey is no stranger to frigid winter temperatures. While we’re technically in the middle of winter, if your heater is at the end of its life span, it’s never too late to consider installing a new one. That way you can stay warm and comfortable for the rest of the season.
When it comes to selecting a new heater, one of the biggest considerations for homeowners is the cost of energy. After all, heating can take up 35-50% of your annual energy bills — that’s no small chunk of change!
In today’s post, we’re going to discuss some of the more popular heating system options and help you to see which one works best for you based on efficiency and your heating needs.
* In this post, we will be discussing efficiency in terms of AFUE (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency) ratings. This rating shows how much percentage of fuel is transformed into actual heat for your home. Around 90% is considered “efficient.”
Heat Pump Heating Efficiency
Heat pumps are really interesting heating systems in that they don’t actually produce heat themselves. Rather, they collect and redistribute heat from the air. This means they actually create more energy than they consume.
The downside to heat pumps is that they generally cost more to install and maintain, meaning you’ll likely be paying a little more than most other heating systems if you consider the entire overall cost.
Boiler Heating Efficiency
Boilers operate on a system of hot water that’s heated and run through pipes in your home. When it comes to the amount of fuel actually used to heat your home, a high efficiency boiler that runs on a hydronic system eats up the least amount of fuel.
Unfortunately, the installation and design work that comes with boiler installation can be rather costly if your home isn’t already equipped with it.
Contaminants That Affect Indoor Air Quality
Forced air furnaces are one of the most popular heating options on the market. Furnaces heat air and circulate it throughout your home using a system of ducts. They are usually powered by gas or electricity, although there are some propane burning varieties as well. The most efficient furnaces are usually ones that are fueled by natural gas.
Modern furnaces have really honed their efficiencies and have AFUE ratings of around 95% to 98%, with some electric furnaces having scores as high as 100%. In terms of overall costs, including installation, furnaces are likely your best fuel efficient option.
