Are you interested in knowing how many watts does a furnace use? Electric and gas furnaces are usually one of the most used appliances in homes after the stove and refrigerator. An outdated furnace certainly calls for astronomically high electric bills, but the good thing is that this industry has faced massive improvements with modern technology.
If you further question your furnace’s consumption, now may be a good time to consider an upgrade with Garcia Supply’s professional furnace wattage and installation service.
In this article, a basic understanding of the wattage usage by furnaces will be highlighted, the average wattage usage for various furnace types, the determination of factors that affect power consumption, and how to calculate energy use by the furnace.
Furnace Power Usage
The precise power consumption depends on the type of furnace and unit size. Therefore, a standard furnace will consume anywhere between 300 and 800 watts during operation, that is, for what is used by the blower motor, ignition, and control circuits when in action.
For a gas furnace, the power consumption becomes very small with its heat output. In a gas furnace, most of its energy is dedicated to heating the air, while the electrical parts are used to create ignition and circulation. Still, even with much lower power consumption compared to the gas furnace type, the efficiency of the latter is chiefly measured by its heating output and not really by the number of watts it consumes.
Average Wattage by Furnace Type
Different types of furnaces have different ranges of power consumption:
Gas Furnaces:
Most gas furnaces use anywhere between 400 and 800 watts of electricity. Of course, that would cover even the electricity required for elements in a furnace like the blower motor and the ignition system. The gas furnace wattage is comparatively low because the actual energy source utilized to fuel the heating process is natural gas.
Electric Furnaces:
These units require much higher power, often in the range of 10,000 to 20,000 watts. Since electric furnaces can directly convert electrical energy to heat, their wattage is normally much higher than that of gas furnace power consumption.
Oil Furnaces:
Oil furnaces generally fall between 800 and 1,200 watts. Since both the burner and the blower, which circulates the warmed air, need higher power, oil furnaces are more power-consuming compared to gas furnaces but less than electric models.
Factors Affecting Wattage
The general factors that affect the wattage rating of a furnace include:
Size and Capacity:
The size of a furnace plays a big factor in its electricity consumption. Larger furnaces, having greater heating capacities, use more power. Likewise, units designed for larger areas or heavier applications use higher watts to effectively carry out the heating process.
Efficiency Ratings:
High-efficiency models happen to utilize power more effectively. Furnaces with high-efficiency ratings, measured by AFUE-Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency, are capable of extracting more heat per watt of electricity and therefore consume less power in general.
Types of Components:
Gas furnace electricity consumption is made up of various components, including a blower motor and an ignition system, each with its power usage. More energy-efficient components can reduce the amount of electricity needed to operate the device.
Next, you should define these major components of a Gas furnace:
- Burner: This is where natural gas or propane is combusted to produce heat; thus, this is the heart of the furnace when it comes to heating.
- Heat Exchanger: It transfers the heat of the burner to the air circulating through your home, keeping combustion gases safely separated from your indoor air.
- Blower Motor and Fan: The blower motor drives the fan that moves air across the heat exchanger and into the ductwork, sending warm air through the house.
- Thermostat: It controls and maintains your set temperature by turning the furnace on and off.
Operating Habits:
How you use the furnace-whether you turn it on frequently and for how long will also be a determining factor in its overall energy consumption. Those units that operate more frequently or over longer periods naturally will consume more energy.
Calculating Your Furnace’s Watts
How to calculate the consumption of your gas furnace electricity usage:
Find the Power Rating:
The power rating of your furnace is usually specified in watts by the manufacturer and can normally be found on the label of the furnace or in the user manual.
Measure Usage Time:
Decide how much time your furnace operates daily. If you want to have accurate measurements, set an energy meter to track actual power consumption.
Compute Total Consumption:
Multiply the wattage rating by the number of operating hours to approximate the daily consumption. Example: A 500-watt furnace running 5 hours a day consumes approximately 2,500 watt-hours (2.5 kilowatt-hours) per day.
Conclusion: How Many Watts Does a Furnace Use
Understanding how many Watts does a furnace use will help in determining a strategy for controlling energy costs and having the furnace work efficiently. View furnace power usage, average wattage for different types, and factors affecting wattage that will enable you to make educated choices about your heating system.
Knowing your furnace’s consumption of electricity costs helps you better manage your energy and costs. Want to know more about HVAC systems and components? Check out Garcia Supply.
