U.S. Boiler Company makes the efficiency of your residential boiler priority number one. We take pride in offering homeowners high efficiency American-made condensing boilers that will help reduce energy costs and make their homes more comfortable.
Understanding Boiler Efficiency Ratings
The efficiency of a residential boiler is measured by annual fuel utilization efficiency (AFUE) ratings. This rating represents a calculation of how efficiently the boiler converts energy into fuel in an average year. The Federal Trade Commission requires new boilers to prominently display their AFUE rating so that you can compare the efficiencies of different models.
In general, an AFUE of 75% means that 75% of the fuel energy turns in to heat for your home and the other 25% escapes up the chimney flue or vent. An AFUE of 90% means that 90% of the energy in the fuel becomes heat, and only 10% is wasted.
All-electric boilers don’t lose heat through a chimney, so their AFUE rating is typically between 95 and 100%. Although they are very efficient, the high prices of electricity in most areas of the country make them a less-than-economical choice.
There are minimum AFUE requirements for the manufacture of all boilers based on the type of fuel and heating medium they utilize. Those minimums are:
- 80% for a gas-fired steam boiler
- 82% for a gas-fired hot water boiler
- 82% for an oil-fired steam boiler
- 84% for an oil-fired hot water boiler
There are other requirements as well. Gas-fired boilers cannot have a pilot that constantly burns, and hot water boilers must be able to automatically adjust the water temperature to match the heat load.
Another factor that impacts efficiency ratings depends on whether the boiler is a condensing model or a conventional non-condensing model. Non-condensing boilers typically have efficiency ratings that range from 80% to 88%, while those of condensing boilers are usually above 88%.
To qualify for an ENERGY STAR® certification from the Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Department of Energy, oil-fired boilers must exceed 87% AFUE and gas-fired boilers must exceed 90% AFUE. By choosing ENERGY STAR® certified heating equipment and optimizing its performance, you can enhance the comfort of your home while saving energy.
U.S. Boiler Company’s Highly Efficient Boilers
U.S. Boiler Company is a leading manufacturer of home heating equipment, water boilers, steam boilers, domestic hot water heaters, and radiators. Our extensive selection of heating products include two super-efficient condensing gas boilers, the Alpine™ (95% AFUE) and the ALTA (95% AFUE).
Both Alpine™ and ALTA are gas-fired condensing water boilers with stainless steel heat exchangers and run on either natural gas or liquid propane. They are equipped with the exclusive industry-leading Sage2.3 Boiler Control System which uses advanced technologies to constantly monitor boiler performance and safety parameters and has a touch-screen for ease of use.
The newest models of cast iron boilers today are also far more efficient than the boilers made 20 years ago. Replacing your old cast iron boiler with a new model can also provide significant energy savings. U.S. Boilers’ Burnham MPO-IQ™ oil-fired water boiler has the highest efficiency in it class with a rating as high as 87% AFUE. This boiler can save homeowners up to 49% in energy costs.
We invite you to browse our website for more efficiency information about our ENERGY STAR® rated residential condensing boilers. Making your home more energy efficient can help reduce your high energy bills, improve your comfort and help protect the environment.