York Affinity 8V Furnace Overview

Having earned both the Energy Star and Good Housekeeping Seal, the discontinued York Affinity 8V Furnaces series was promoted as a quiet and efficient residential furnace with an 80 percent AFUE rating. Available in seven models for upflow and horizontal applications, the 8V series had three options from which to choose: variable speed blower with two-stage heating, two-stage heating unit or single-stage furnace.

The two-stage, variable speed unit featured an ECM motor that allowed the fan to gradually change speeds. Such a feature reportedly not only made the furnace more efficient, but also reduced sound levels and improved humidity control. The ECM circulated air continuously, reducing the occurrence of stagnant air and decreasing the number of starts and stops to extend the product's life. In addition, the 8V furnace had ClimaTraK, which allowed installers to program the furnace to use an operating cycle best suited for the specific climate in which it is installed.

The single-stage Affinity 8V furnace employed a hot surface ignition and insulated blower compartment for improved efficiency. The Affinity 8V furnace was part of the York Affinity series.

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Other Affinity 8V Reviews

Dealers tend to agree that the York Affinity is a solid product, yet a few dealers on hvac-talk.com agree that an 8V two-stage furnace must be coupled with a 2-stage thermostat. The matching thermostat stops the furnace from switching between off and second-stage heating so the homeowner better benefits from the available two stages. If the lower stage is not employed, unit efficiency suffers, these contractors say.

However, a consumer posting on allexperts.com finds that the unit is far noisier than advertised, frequently starts and stops and has little airflow when he checks for warmth more than two feet above the register. A contractor on this forum points out that the homeowner might not feel much heat coming from the vents because the second-stage heat cycle puts out less warmth, as needed. The contractor also says the installing technician should test the unit operation to ensure the noise is not the result of an installation problem.