Chicago homeowners interested in reducing their utility bills during the winter need to identify the biggest energy-consuming culprit in their home. Look downstairs. There it is. Your old, tired furnace. If your furnace is approaching its teenage years, it’s likely nearing or ready for retirement. The good news: replacing an older unit with today’s high-efficiency units will guarantee an immediate reduction in your monthly bill, which can add up to savings over the years that cover much of the cost of your furnace purchase. The higher the AFUE (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency), the better the savings. The AFUE is the most widely used measure of a furnace’s heating efficiency. It measures the amount of heat actually delivered to your house compared to the amount of fuel that you must supply to the furnace. For instance, a furnace that has an 80% AFUE rating converts 80% of the fuel that you supply to heat — the other 20% is lost out of the chimney. And higher-efficiency AFUE models (like 95%) will convert 95% of its fuel into heat for your home. Older, worn out models (with lower efficiency) convert so much less fuel into heat, you can almost see the dollar bills pouring out of your chimney. Trust HVAC professionals like All Temp to help you select the best furnace for your home. Ask about current sale offers and additional rebates or tax credits currently available. Also, if your not-so-old furnace is not operating at peak performance, an All-Temp tune-up might be in order. Call 1-800-All-Temp.