We’ve switched our clocks back, the temperature is dropping outside—winter feels like it’s just around the corner. As we head into the colder months, thermostats will be cranked up and furnaces will be running day and night. Depending on the heating system you have, it can cost you a pretty penny to stay cozy and warm, so we’re shedding some light on how much energy your furnace uses, as well as giving you some tips on how to reduce your energy bill this winter.
How Much Energy Does Your Furnace Use?
The first question is, how much energy does your heating system actually use during the winter? And the answer to this is, it depends on which furnace you have. Every central furnace or boiler has an annual fuel utilization efficiency (AFUE) rating, which measures how efficiently your heating system converts energy from fuel to heat in a year. The AFUE rating indicates how much energy was converted into heat—so, for example, if a furnace or boiler has an AFUE of 90%, then it converts 90% of the fuel it gets into heat. Therefore, the higher the AFUE rating, the more efficient the furnace is.
Depending on how old your furnace is, it could be using a lot more energy than you think. The Department of Energy categorizes heating systems into three categories: low-efficiency, mid-efficiency, and high-efficiency. Low-efficiency heating systems are older systems with 56% to 70% AFUE. Their continuous pilot light and natural draft system, which doesn’t control combustion gases very precisely, make these furnaces less efficient than modern models. Mid-efficiency systems have a few upgrades that give them 80% to 83% AFUE, including an electronic ignition instead of a pilot light, a smaller and lighter system overall, and an exhaust fan to more accurately control the flow of combustion gases. High-efficiency systems have 90% to 98.5% AFUE due to their sealed combustion design, and since they include a second heat exchanger to convert additional flue gases into extra heat.
So, if you haven’t upgraded your furnace in a while, chances are good it’s not running as efficiently as a new one could—potentially by a long shot.
How to Reduce Your Energy Usage
No matter what type of heating system you have, there are a few steps you can take to help reduce your energy footprint this winter:
Seal cracks and leaks.
- An easy way to decrease the energy your furnace uses this winter is to make sure the heat it makes stays inside—you can do this by sealing any cracks and leaks around your windows and doors.
Replace or add additional insulation.
- 89% of single-family homes in the US don’t have enough insulation, according to a 2024 study by ICF Consulting, so consider adding more insulation to your home, especially in typically under-insulated spaces like attics and crawlspaces, to make sure your home retains the heat your furnace puts out.
Replace windows, skylights, and exterior doors.
- Older, single-pane windows can easily transfer heat outside, so installing double-paned, ENERGY STAR®-certified windows will help prevent this from happening. The same goes with skylights and exterior doors—older models might have warped and let cold air in as a result, so getting them replaced with energy-efficient models will help keep your furnace from working overtime.
- Making sure you have energy-efficient windows is also an important step to take if you’re considering replacing your heating system, since you might not need as heavy-duty of a furnace if all your doors and windows properly keep heat inside.
Maintain your furnace or boiler.
- Proper maintenance of your heating system helps keep it in working order, especially when the cold sets in. Having a professional make sure the heat exchanger, burners, and blowers are all functioning as they should, as well as check the thermostat, air filters, and electrical connections, can help ensure your furnace will run smoothly even on the coldest of days.
- Of course, scheduling your furnace’s maintenance can feel like just one more item on the to-do list, which is why we have our Platinum Maintenance Plans—you get two thorough system services a year, and we call you to schedule them.
Buy an energy-efficient furnace or boiler.
- A great way to reduce your energy footprint this winter is by replacing your old heating system with an energy-efficient one. The latest ENERGY STAR®-certified furnaces can have up to 98.5% AFUE ratings, which can drastically reduce your fuel bill—sometimes by up to 50%. Newer furnaces also don’t put out nearly the same amount of CO2 emissions as older ones, with natural gas households reducing their emissions by 1.5 tons and oil households by 2.5 tons after upgrading.
Use tax credits.
- Buying a whole new heating system can feel pricey, but did you know that you can get tax credits for upgrading to an energy-efficient system? The Energy Efficient Home Improvement Tax Credit rewards you for buying and installing ENERGY STAR®-certified products, but is only available for upgrades made through December 31, 2025. Starting in 2026, you will no longer be able to claim this credit for any energy-efficient HVAC upgrades you make, so you’ll need to upgrade soon.
- See the full list of energy-efficient products eligible for the Energy Efficient Home Improvement Tax Credit here, and make sure to take advantage of this benefit by December 31, 2025!
There are many ways to reduce your energy footprint this winter, and there’s no better time than now to upgrade your outdated heating system to a new, energy-efficient model. If you’re ready to take the plunge and get a new energy-efficient furnace or system, give our team a call—not only can we help guide you through the Energy Efficient Home Improvement Tax Credit rewards available to you, but we’re also taking $1,000 off all new energy-efficient system purchases for the month of November! Staying warm while saving money will be your new favorite winter pastime.