Yes! They definitely do and for good reason. To save your energy bills and ultimately your money.
Furnace short-cycling refers to a furnace that's switching itself on and off too frequently. It's normal for a furnace to turn on and off periodically. They are designed to cycle on and off, but a standard home furnace should only turn on and off between three to eight times per hour.
A furnace with an AFUE rating of 95% will require significantly less fuel (natural gas) to heat your home than a unit with an 80% AFUE rating. While higher-efficiency furnaces tend to cost more upfront, they allow homeowners to save money on heating costs every year.
The Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE) rating is a key indicator of a furnace's efficiency, with higher ratings not only promising quicker heating times but also lower fuel consumption.
If you have an older furnace and wonder, “Do high-efficiency furnaces run more often?” the answer stands that they do. High-efficiency furnaces run nearly 80% of the day at varying speeds for optimal heating in your home.
So how fast should a furnace heat a house? On average, once you turn on your furnace, it should take about an hour to increase indoor temperature by 1 degree. Afterwards, it's 45 minutes per degree.
A well-maintained, high-efficiency furnace, on the other hand, is usually able to last 20 to 30 years. As a result, scheduling an annual maintenance appointment with an experienced HVAC company in your area is one of the most effective ways to ensure your home's furnace stays efficient for as long as possible.
In our expert opinion, if you are planning to live in your home for 5+ years, the 95% furnace is the clear winner, as you may already recoup savings in energy costs within the first 3-5 years of operation that offset a higher purchase price.
While high-efficiency furnaces with an AFUE of 96% or more cost between $2,000 and $6,000, standard-efficiency units with an AFUE of 80% to 89% are priced from $500 to $1,500. Upgrading to a high-efficiency furnace with a higher AFUE rating can lead to significant energy cost savings.
This is commonly caused by a dirty air filter. Once high temperatures are reached within the equipment, the limit switch shuts down the heating cycle for safety reasons. Then the furnace must cool down before another cycle starts – but the issue just happens again.
If your existing furnace was purchased any time within the last 15 years, it should have a yellow label attached that will reveal its AFUE rating plus specific data about how much energy it might be saving you in comparison to less efficient models.
Running 10 to 15 minutes per cycle seems acceptable. So is running as long as 20 minutes. Even running every seven or eight minutes may not be a problem, as other factors could lead to more frequent cycling. Outside temperature, for example, could contribute to how fast or slow the furnace cycles.
Replacing a 20-year-old gas furnace is typically a wise investment. In a country with diverse climates and heating needs, the benefits of a modern, energy-efficient furnace are manifold.
However, two-stage furnaces are much more efficient than single-stage furnaces. This efficiency means they experience less strain than single-stage furnaces, which consistently operate at a high energy level. Over time, a single-stage furnace that operates at a high level may wear down and need expensive repairs.
That depends entirely on the make and model furnace that you choose. Many, but not all, high-efficiency furnaces have thermostats built in. One safe assumption to make is that if you're replacing your furnace then your thermostat probably needs to be updated as well.
Now it's time to calculate the amount of time it'll take to get your investment back. For this step, take the total cost of a new furnace, and divide it by the energy savings you expect. So, for our purposes, the equation would look like this: $2,550/$700 = 3.64 years.
Installation Entails More than Just the Furnace
For a gas-powered furnace, a contractor must set up a gas connection and vent. Installing an electric furnace requires running wiring, adding a circuit breaker, or perhaps updating an electrical panel. Holes are often drilled for pipes and wires.
Lower Energy Bills and Cost Savings: Upgrading to a higher AFUE furnace can result in significant savings on your energy bills. The increased efficiency means that more of the fuel is converted into heat, reducing the amount of wasted energy and lowering overall heating costs.
The furnace will run until your home's internal temperature reaches the temperature to which you set your thermostat. If you set the temperature too high, the furnace will run constantly trying to reach the set temperature. Bump the temperature down a few degrees to put less strain on the system.
Recommended maintenance includes cleaning the filters, checking the burner and heat exchanger, and inspecting electrical connections. An annual service plan can help ensure your furnace runs efficiently and prevent costly breakdowns.
Cooling a house from 80 to 72 degrees is a common goal for many, especially during the peak of summer. On average, this process takes roughly two and a half to three and a half hours.
A furnace that's running non-stop is not necessarily bad. During the coldest days in winter, it is normal for a furnace to run almost constantly to keep the home warm. As long as the furnace is running efficiently and not making strange noises, the constant operation is likely nothing to worry about.
In general, 80 degrees is too hot for a house if people are inside. However, if people aren't home during the day or for vacation during the summer, an indoor temperature of 80 degrees can save energy until you return and lower the temperature.