Condensing Gas Furnaces Are Tops in Efficiency

Many innovations have been made in the quest for higher efficiency. In the HVAC world, condensing gas furnaces are at the top of the list, achieving much higher efficiency than standard combustion furnaces.

How Do They Work Compared to Typical Furnaces?

Although the actual combustion process has about the same efficiency as a conventional furnace, the secondary heat exchanger in a condensing gas furnace is what makes it stands out. A conventional furnace exhausts gases and other byproducts of the combustion process through the chimney flue. The exhaust in a condensing furnace instead leads to the secondary heat exchanger, which removes more heat from the exhaust to heat your home. The result of this extra step is a significant increase in efficiency.

Benefits of Condensing Furnaces

Condensing furnaces can reach up to 98 percent efficiency, which compared to a typical efficiency of 80 percent for a conventional furnace, is a major increase. The ability to convert nearly all of the fuel into heat means significantly lower energy bills. A second benefit is that a condensing furnace features a sealed combustion chamber.

This means that the air isn’t drawn in from inside the house, but instead air from outside is used. This allows your heated air to be used for home comfort rather than furnace combustion. Finally, most condensing furnaces employ variable-speed blowers and multi-stage burners. They allow the furnace to produce the precise amount of heat needed at a given time. This will further reduce your energy requirements and utility bills.

If you have any questions about condensing gas furnaces, feel free to contact Sobieski Services. Our goal is to help educate our customers in Delaware, Pennsylvania, Maryland and New Jersey about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC & plumbing systems).

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