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Home Heating Efficiency
16. There are 2 types of home heating efficiencies…
Don’t pay attention and it could cost you!
Steady State Efficiency (SSE). This can be used by unscrupulous oil heat installers to sell you a bill of goods. Steady state efficiency measurers how efficient your heating system is when running at peak operating temperature. Now, this is important for your tech to know in order to adjust your heating system. (continues below)
Problem is, this efficiency number is similar to the mile per gallons number the car companies use in advertising their vehicles.
You can get them, but there are all sorts of moons and stars that have to be in sync in order for you to actually achieve those published numbers.
During the spring and fall, the progressive change in temperature impacts your fuel and furnace efficiency. In the middle of the coldest winter day your furnace may reach peak efficiency, which is the SSE, but leading up to that day, through the fall and trailing off in the spring, your furnace will rarely be running at peak efficiency.
So it’s a very pie-in-the-sky sort of number.
Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE) You’ll see this term used when you are buying a new system, or after a tech performs a tune-up on your system.
This takes the entire season into consideration, instead of just the coldest periods where your furnace would be the most efficient.
It considers the slow build up to cold weather and the slow decline to warm weather. This is important because your heating system isn’t as efficient coming into the season or going out.
During these times it will run shorter in cycles and use more fuel. This takes into consideration the seasonal efficiency SE and averages the good and the bad.
For example, if your efficiency rating is 70%, that means that out of 100 gallons of fuel, 70 gallons worth ends up as heat in your home, while the other 30% is lost up your chimney as exhaust.
If you’re using 1000 gallons of oil per season. You’re losing 300 gallons every season. At $2.50 a gallon you’re losing $1,750.00 every season.
Some unscrupulous oil dealers use the SSE number, versus the AFUE, so don’t be fooled.
The better you understand the terminology used in the industry, the better off you’ll be. There’s a list in the reference section that goes into greater detail on this subject.
Stay warm, stay safe and save money
