Condensing furnaces primarily operate at what efficiency level?

Condensing furnaces are designed to utilize the heat produced during combustion more effectively than traditional furnaces. They do this by capturing and condensing the water vapor in exhaust gases, which releases additional heat that can be used to warm the home. This process allows them to operate at efficiency levels that can exceed 90%, and often approach 98%.

Due to the advanced technology and design of condensing furnaces, they are classified as high-efficiency systems. The efficiency is measured in Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE), which indicates how much of the fuel is converted into usable heating energy. Condensing units take advantage of the latent heat in water vapor, which traditional non-condensing systems do not, leading to significantly greater energy savings and lower operational costs.

In contrast, low efficiency systems may waste a considerable amount of energy, while moderate efficiency units do not maximize the heat extraction process to the same extent as condensing furnaces. Very high efficiency is also an apt description for condensing units, but "high efficiency" is often the preferred categorization in comparison to industry standards, hence the correct classification here is high efficiency.