HVAC Efficiency Standards Will Look a Little Different Come 2015

In April 2014, the United States Department of Energy (DOE) implemented changes to HVAC efficiency standards. These changes will go into effect on January 1, 2015, and apply to both commercial and residential equipment. Understanding these changes are important to homeowners who may be in need of a new furnace, air conditioner or split system heat pump.  What Is Changing?

• Starting on January 1, 2015, new Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) standards will go into effect for all newly installed heat pumps and air conditioners. These standards will differ by region. In most areas, including Oklahoma, the 13 SEER standard for air conditioners will increase to 14 SEER.

• All areas of the country will move to new split system heat pump regulations. A new heat pump efficiency standard of 14 SEER and 8.2 Heating Seasonal Performance Factor (HSPF) will be enforced nationally. A HSPF value measures the efficiency of air-source heat pumps and helps homeowners understand the relative efficiency of different models.

• Also in 2015, all new gas furnaces will require an Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE) value of 80 percent. This value measures the efficiency of the furnace and the ability to condense water out of flue gasses for future use. Homeowners will notice that units with a AFUE value of 90 percent or better are identified as "condensing" products for their ability to efficiently recoup and condense gasses.

If you are in the market for new HVAC components, or if you have any questions about HVAC efficiency standards, contact our team at Air Assurance Heating, Air Conditioning, and Plumbing. We have proudly served the Tulsa metropolitan area for nearly 30 years, and we're ready to help you understand these changing standards.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).

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Regional Efficiency Standards: A Settlement Has Been Reached

Recently, regional efficiency standards for HVAC equipment have been changed by the industry and the Department of Energy. Let's go over what this means for your household.

In 2006, the standard SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) for air conditioners and heat pumps was raised from 10 to 13. In 2010, equipment manufacturers partnered with efficiency specialists to develop new regional efficiency standards, accounting for different climate conditions throughout the US. In the South and Southwest, SEER requirements were raised to 14, while they remained at 13 in the North.

Equivalent regional efficiency standards and adjustments have also been set for other equipment, such as gas furnaces.

However, the proposed January 2015 adjustments posed a few issues for manufacturers and distributors, so a new agreement has been reached with the DOE. It affects different equipment and regions in different ways.

Before we jump into the new rules, let’s go over a few terms. SEER we’ve already discussed. HSPF is related to heat pump efficiency, and stands for Heating Seasonal Performance Factor. AFUE is for furnaces, and stands for Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency.

These new regional efficiency standards apply to all equipment manufactured after January 2015.

• Split system air conditioners: SEER 14 (This number applies specifically to the South, including Oklahoma.)

• Single package air conditioners: SEER 14

• Split system heat pumps: SEER 14, HSPF 8.2

• Single package heat pumps: SEER 14, HSPF 8.0

• Small-duct, high-velocity systems: SEER 13, HSPF 7.7

• Space-constrained air conditioners and heat pumps: SEER 12 (Heat pumps must meet an HSPF of 7.4.)

• Gas-fired furnaces: AFUE 80%

While these numbers will become regional efficiency standards as of January 2015, there’s an 18-month grace period for distributors to sell through equipment manufactured before then.

These developments don't mean you’ll be forced to upgrade your equipment. They do mean that if you purchase new equipment made in 2015 or later, it will comply with these standards, saving you money and reducing your impact on the environment.

Let us know if you have questions. Air Assurance has been serving the Greater Tulsa metro area since 1985, and we’ll be happy to help.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). 

Image courtesy of Shutterstock

Efficient Furnaces Are the Rage, but How Efficient Should Yours Be?

Replacing a furnace is a big decision that will affect your energy bills and comfort for the next several years of your life. One of the most important aspects to determine is how efficient of a furnace you should buy.

The Mark of Efficient Furnaces

It is really easy to compare the efficiency of different furnaces by looking at their annual fuel utilization efficiency (AFUE) rating. This rating is a measure of what percent of fuel is converted into the heat.

A highly efficient furnace will waste less fuel, which leads to lower energy bills. The highest efficiency units on the market today can achieve almost 100 percent AFUE. However, higher efficiency furnaces typically cost more up-front. If you stick to a furnace in the standard efficiency range you can still see AFUE ratings of around 80 percent.

How Efficiency and Cost Combine

Cost is one of the most important factors for a big purchase. So while a higher efficiency is slightly better for the environment, the biggest difference for the average homeowner comes from the cost.

Keep the following in mind when looking at furnaces:

• Typical usage: If you run it a lot, then efficiency matters more. A higher efficiency furnace will save you more as your usage increases.

• Utility costs: Check out the cost of your local utilities. If the cost is really high, it makes sense to want to minimize the use of them by getting a more efficient unit.

• Your home: This is related to your usage as well. If your home is not well-insulated, it will lose a lot of heat. This means your furnace will have to run more to compensate, and again a higher efficiency would be important.

While you might have a good feel for the level of efficiency you're looking for among efficient furnaces, an HVAC contractor should be able to run multiple cost estimates of different models to get a concrete answer. Contact us at Air Assurance to get help finding the perfect furnace for your Oklahoma home.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). 

Image courtesy of Shutterstock