Why is the air warmer on an 80% furnace vs a 95%

My other furnaces felt warmer than the new high efficiency furnace we put in,

[ws]

Thank you for explaining this. I had a high efficient furnace put in a few years ago and I've noticed it doesn't heat like my old furnace and it doesn't have that cozy warm feeling when it's running. Now I know why. I wished I understood them better before I bought mine.

[anthonyhitchings]

We are keeping our 1964 112, 000 BTU furnace here in Oakland, CA. Its super reliable and stupid simple. I did replace the gas regulator unit last summer. I oil the 4 bearings every fall.

[barbaraadams]

Hooray. I always wondered why my heating vents are not warm like my older homes!

[dwg]

We just had this happen 2 weeks ago. We had our really old {1972} 80% over provisioned furnace replaced with a new 96% furnace and my girlfriend was complaining that the new one doesnt heat as well as the old one and the floors feel colder to her.

[ronniepemberton]

How could it be cooler if the thermostat for both were to be set at the same temperature

[blackericdenice]

I like the hot heat coming from my 80% heater. I bought a house 2 years ago built in 1993. It still has the stock Rheem heater. Every tech come to my house, want to install a new unit. The heater work fine. I have problems every year with the a/c. Last summer the tech claimed he could not recharge it with r22. I put r134 in there myself from Walmart and it ran all summer long. I think I will be fixing my own unit from now on.

[davidburman]

True words ! I have a unique story to back this up. Bought my house way back in 1985...at that time in had a decent 1970's furnace. My brother in law was a sheetmetal guy installing the new higher efficency furnaces as fast as he could get them. He did alot of work on our system as it was very poorly ducted. At the time he said it was a "Grimsby Lowboy"...and it would never give us any trouble.. its still running as I type this comment !
In the 80's my neighbour 2 doors down had the identical cookie cutter 1880's old frame house...these were drafty wretched places in the winter the wind went right through them. To combat it he installed the highest efficent furnace available...he hated it. It didnt heat his house any better his heating costs went up far exceeding mine. I spent my cash on pumping all the exterior wall cavities full of blown in cellulose. Then I added better doors and taped plastic over the original drafty windows every winter until I could afford high end vinyl replacements.
In an old house a furnace should be last on the list...without doors windows and insulation it just wont help.
My old Grimsby is a full 80, 000BTU. no doubt selected to attempt to combat the severe Ontario winters. Now Im all sealed up its way too big, I have completely shut off all heat to the upstairs...just dont need it..have looked at top to bottom every 2 years...its still fine.
Just now we are ready to replace it this summer with mini split heat/AC.
I also have a 2018 letter from Enbridge Gas congradulating us for using some of the least fuel annually for our type of residence in the area. We dont spare the heat either and as we are in our 70's now like our house toasty warm!
Food for thought if money is tight where to spend it first.

[drwhoeric]

90%+ efficiency furnaces take longer to peak in temperature after starting and have a longer cool down time. For that reason, many never reach peak temperature as the thermostat reaches the desired room temperature when the furnace initiates shut down.

[billm]

We just switched this fall from an 80% unit to a 95% and I totally agree with your comments. I know that 70 degrees is 70 degrees but it feels different, and yes I'm old LOL.

[donnywilderness]

I love my 96% Rudd no issues runs fine. Change the filter when you should and it will last.

[toddberner]

Most of the reason behind that is the lower temp rise and hx design along with blowers with larger hp drives, bigger supply fans, etc. All of this is to maintain that higher efficiency mark. 80% units typically retain upflow heat exchange, placing the burners, or greatest source of heat, closer to the air supply fan. Your 90+ models today are in a "counterflow heat exchange configuration. Now, most of the intensity is furthest away from the blower. Your much cooler condensing hx is near the blower. Your now has a faster chance to dissipate at the outlet of the unit. It really is the same or more amount of heat, just disspated faster, thus feels cooler. Many true variable speed units can have the fan air speed truly "dialed in" to reduce these issues.

[FrankRizzo]

Tony, how about the "low-nox" required in California furnaces? I read that they achieve low-nox by a cooler burning flame? Can't find very much info on them. Thanks.

[paulyosef]

It is customary to oversize the heating system a bit for the extreme weather, old school.

[josephpuchel]

Hey Just subscribed
I noticed that with my upgrade to I believe it was labeled a 92 percent 2 stage furnace not as hot. If my 92 gives me problems I will replace with a new furnace 80% .

[andyd]

I just did a 7 year compare of usage for my 80% and 95% furnaces and saved 25% in fuel consumption. The air coming out of the vents of the 95% doesn't feel as warm as the 80% furnace.

[oclxqjd]

The 95% furnace will feel the same as long as you get one set for the same temperature rise. Most come from factory set for low rise to achieve nameplate efficiency but are adjustable. It will lose a little effiency.. to about 93%,

[roberts]

I have heard that 80% gas furnaces will no longer be available after 2028. Is that true ? Appreciate your thoughts in this video.

[Itsme-vofx]

You mentioned that a 80% furnace produces more heat than a 95% furnace. However, that’s only an opinion until you explain why this is so.