Energy Savings
Only a few years ago, our industry responded to global needs to conserve energy by improving the efficiency and performance of heating and cooling equipment. So, if you have a central furnace or air conditioner system with equipment manufactured before the 1992 Department of Energy (DOE) established new efficiency standards, there’s a good chance your heating and cooling fuel bills are 20-40% higher than they need to be!
Today the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) promotes high efficiency products through its Energy Star Program.
- Department of Energy Measurements and Standards and What They Mean to You
- Environmental Protection Agency Energy Star Program
- SEER
- AFUE
Department of Energy Measurements & Standards and What They Mean to You:
The DOE set up a system to measure central heating and air conditioning efficiency performance. Today, you can easily use this information to help you in your system selection. Your actual savings will depend on the weather in your area, utility costs, your home’s energy efficiency, and your preferences for indoor temperatures. However, generally, in areas with hot temperatures or above-average electric costs, you can benefit from a higher-SEER cooling unit. Likewise in areas with colder temperatures or above-average fuel costs, you’ll usually benefit from a higher-AFUE gas furnace.
In practical terms, you can compare annual operating costs of two cooling systems just by knowing their efficiency ratings.
