What furnace efficiency (AFUE) actually means
AFUE is the single number that tells you how much of your furnace’s fuel becomes heat. Here’s what it means and why it matters more in a long heating season.
What AFUE measures
AFUE stands for Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency, the percentage of fuel your furnace turns into usable heat over a year. A 96% AFUE furnace turns 96% of the gas it burns into heat; the remaining 4% leaves through the flue.
Standard vs. high-efficiency
Older furnaces often run at 80% AFUE or lower. Modern condensing furnaces reach 96% or higher. Over a long Ontario heating season, that gap shows up on your gas bill month after month.
It’s not only about AFUE
Right-sizing (a furnace that’s too big short-cycles and wears out sooner), a careful install, and a variable-speed blower all affect comfort and running cost. A licensed professional sizing the unit correctly matters as much as the efficiency rating.
Three ways to pay for it
With Arctic you can rent a high-efficiency furnace for a low monthly price with service included, spread the purchase over 3 to 10 years at 12.99% fixed (your APR is shown before you sign), financed straight from Arctic, or buy it outright. Every way, installation by licensed professionals is part of the price.