The energy efficiency of your heater will have a massive impact on your heating bills. We hope the following tips will give you a bit of guidance towards working it out.

What is the Energy Star Rating for Your Heater?

Heaters sold in Australia will have an Energy Star Rating. This is probably the first place to look if you want to know just how energy-efficient your heater is.

The higher the star rating, the more efficient your heater is. It is as simple as that. Modern heaters tend to have higher star ratings as they are taking advantage of the latest advancements in heating technology.

It is often worth spending a little bit of extra cash on a higher Energy Star Rating because you will probably end up saving a lot more cash over the course of the heater's life simply because of lower energy bills.

What is the AFUE rating for your heater?

Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency, or AFUE for short, is a metric used to determine how efficient a heater actually is.

If you have an AFUE of 70%, for instance, it means that 70% of the energy that is being poured into the heater is coming back out as heat. In an ideal world, you would want an AFUE of at least 78%.

This information can be a bit tricky to find. While many manufacturers will include the AFUE somewhere in their manual, many still do not. Thankfully, with most modern heaters, a quick Google search will tell you all you need to know.

You should remember that the AFUE will only apply to a a new heater. As a heater starts to be used, it will become less efficient. If you keep up with your heater maintenance, it should be a fairly gradual drop, though.

How old is your heater?

If you want to know just how energy efficient your heater is, then look at the age. If it is over 15-years old, then it probably isn't that energy efficient.

As heaters get older, they become less energy efficient. This is before you even consider the fact that heating technology is constantly improving, so a heater 'fresh out of the box' today will not be as energy-efficient as a brand new heater five years from now.

Estimates suggest that the energy efficiency of a heater can fall by as much as 5% each year you own it.

When did you last have a heater service carried out?

If you haven't booked in a heater service in the last year, then your heater is not going to be energy efficient.

Unserviced heaters will often be clogged with dust and grime. There may also be small issues in the components of the heater. All of this will lead to poor heating efficiency. In fact, a heater that hasn't been serviced in a good couple of years could easily be adding 10-20% onto your heating bill. It is expensive, even before you consider the fact that your heater is probably going to fail quicker than a well-maintained heater.

Make sure that you get your heater serviced at least once per year to ensure it reaches the maximum efficiency for its age. Call us now on 1300 100 040 to a book a licensed heater technician.