When it comes to staying warm during winter, you cannot possibly do without a gas furnace. Designed to produce clean and odorless hot air heat, this appliance helps homeowners beat the winter blues both economically and efficiently. No wonder, of all types of heating systems, gas burning furnaces are the most popular among the US and Canadian consumers.

Evolution Of Gas Furnace

 In its earliest avatar, gas furnace was used for the purpose of manufacturing ceramic products. The remnants of such devices have been excavated from the ruins of Indus Valley Civilization. They used to be employed in industrial establishments as well. Today, they have become one of the most crucial parts of household establishments through vast parts of North America. The high efficiency models are the latest to emerge in course of its evolution. These high efficiency appliances are meant to cut back on consumers’ overall energy consumption.

How A Gas Furnace Works

A gas furnace uses natural gas to heat the air to a certain level, predetermined by a thermostat. The furnace draws air from inside the house through cold air ducts. Instead of heating the air in house, the furnace actually pumps in heated air to replace the air that escapes through windows, doors, and roof. The heat is then distributed through the metal ducts. In most of the cases, heat is distributed through a process called forced air. Right at the time of drawing cold air, the furnace filters dust and other particles present in the air. In order to support a gas furnace’s function of warm air distribution, there must be ductwork in the house.

Functioning Of Energy Efficient Furnaces And Their Importance

 With the advancement in furnace technology, today we can find a range of energy efficient furnace products. Gas furnace efficiency is measured by the Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE). The furnaces which have higher rating are considered to be more energy efficient. Before you buy a furnace, make sure it carries an AFUE rating of 78 percent to 98 percent.

High efficiency condensing furnaces use an additional heat exchanger for extracting any available heat from air before it is sent outdoors. This extracted heat is then condensed into water and drained out. The cool gases that remain are sent outdoors. This minimizes hot air escape from the house. In addition to this, an energy efficient furnace also ensures that minimum amount of pollutants are released into the air.

One must be very careful at the time of buying gas furnace for home use. We should use only the energy efficient products that not only preserve more heat to make our home warm and comfortable but also help lower our energy bills as well as lessen the nation’s energy dependency. Today’s household furnaces are more energy efficient than the earlier ones, as for example the ones used in the in the early 1970s. While these early furnaces generally had an AFUE of not more than 65 per cent, today’s lower efficiency models have a high AFUE of 78 per cent. The most efficient models can give you near-total efficiency with an AFUE of about 97 per cent.

Proper Care For Your Furnace Is Essential

 However, your task does not end with just buying a high efficiency model. You have to take necessary care of your furnace to maintain its efficiency, as well as keep your energy bill at the lowest. You have to keep it off, when you are away from home. It makes sense to invest in a model with a built-in thermostat and timer so that you don’t have to bother about switching it off every time you step out of the house. Also make sure that ducts are always dust free. To produce the same amount of heat, high efficiency models require less fuel. Thus, with high efficiency models, you can save a lot on your energy bills. Initial costs for procuring a high efficiency model may be significantly higher than a low efficiency model. But this extra investment can go a long way to cut back on your monthly energy bills. If you happen to live in the colder parts of the country, where you need to use a furnace almost throughout the year, only an energy efficient gas furnace can give you a high return on your investment.