Trane Heaters: What You Should Know

There are many Trane heaters on the market today, making it easy to find the right model when you need one for your home. Most homes today are equipped for a gas furnace. If you don't have gas, then the odds are likely that you will have an oil furnace. When looking for a new furnace, there are several key considerations to factor into your decision.

Annual fuel utilization efficiency, or AFUE, is the measure of how much fuel is converted by the furnace to produce heat. This is the common rating system for furnace models, allowing you some guidance in evaluating the efficiency of various units. A furnace that is at least fifteen years old today likely has an AFUE of only 65%, where newer furnace systems will have a rating in the range of 80% up to 97%. There is a requirement by the Environment Protection Agency that a furnace must have a minimum annual fuel utilization efficiency of 78%. This means that your furnace is converting at least 78% of the fuel used into heat for your house. By selecting a unit with a higher AFUE you can save money by reducing your fuel bill.

Many experts in the field agree that having a furnace with 80% efficiency is more than adequate if you live in an area of moderate climate, or your do not plan to stay in your home for at least five years. Higher efficiency models are more expensive, and thus take longer to recoup the additional investment.

The highly efficient XV95 Gas Furnace as an AFUE of more than 95%. With that level of fuel efficiency you will have very little waste of fuel and will experience the comfort of an evenly and consistently heated home. On the plus side, this furnace features a variable speed fan that allows you to control the flow of warm air to maintain a constant temperature, or to adjust it for your comfort. With such a highly productive use of fuel, this furnace is reasonably cheap to operate. This helps to offset the negative feature of the higher purchase cost of the XV95, not to mention the potential for a more complicated installation because of the special venting requirements.

The XL90 Gas Furnace is also considered a very high efficiency system, with an AEFU of 92%. As a multi-stage furnace, the two-stage heating allows for a consistently gentle warmth in your home. The result of this high efficiency will be lower energy costs over the life of your furnace. The lower energy costs will help to offset the fact that the XL90 is more expensive to purchase. Another negative is that the break-even point for this furnace will take longer to achieve as you try to repay your initial investment. An additional expense could be new venting to accommodate the system.

If you live in a milder climate, do not have enough money for one of the higher efficiency models, or will not be staying in your current home for at least five years to recoup your investment, then the XT80 Gas Furnace could be the model for you. With an annual fuel utilization efficiency rating of 80%, it is likely still more efficient than your current furnace. The XT80 will be less expensive than a system with an AFUE over 90%, and is likely to be easier to install. You will get less efficiency with this model compared to the others listed here, and as a result will experience higher operating costs, since you will have to pay for more gas.

If you do not have gas as the fuel for your furnace, then you likely have oil. If this is the case for your home, then you should consider the XV80 Oil Furnace. A sealed-vent furnace, the XV80 is as efficient as many gas models, with an annual fuel utilization efficiency of 85%. It has a variable speed fan that operates in a quiet manner while warming your home. The biggest negative of an oil furnace is the cost of fuel. With the rising oil prices of today, you will pay more to operate an oil furnace than a gas one.

This has given you a high level view of just a few of the models of Trane heaters that are available. What you have to consider are what factors are most important to you in making the decision to purchase a new furnace. Key points to consider in your decision process should include the level of efficiency you require, and how much you are willing to pay for that efficiency. You should also factor in how long you think you will remain in your home, what you are able to pay for the new furnace and whether one justifies the other. Once you have made these buying criteria decisions you can begin the evaluation and selection of a new heat source for your house.