Heating your home is something you don’t think a whole lot about until something happens with it. You may just expect your furnace to turn on and in most cases it does. Did you know that in years to come the furnace may currently be using may not meet regulations?
The DOE , Department of Energy, is proposing that in the years to come the furnace in your home reach a peak rating of 92% AFUE. What does it mean to you and your furnace? Take a look at some of the information below to be prepared for what is to come in the next few years if this proposal passes.
What is AFUE?
First you may not understand what AFUE stands for. It stands for Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency. This basically means how many “miles per gallon” is your furnace getting throughout the year. By having this rating it will tell you how much of your money is heating your home and how much of that energy is going back out into the air instead of where it should be. Learning this will help you understand what the newer ratings would mean.
What about my current unit?
While there is a typically a transition phase in this process, this could mean that by 2021 some of the current furnaces are obsolete. As far as certain types of furnaces, the non-condensing furnace itself would be no more. This means you will be discovering new types of furnaces to heat your home when it’s time to install.
How does it affect me?
These newer units will have to be more effective and efficient so it can affect you in several different ways. The main difference you will see is in installation and cost of a unit. These newer units may be more expensive than current ones and it will knock some options you might have bought before completely out.
There is a transition phase so if a company still has certain units that are non compliant in stock, they could still sell those until a certain time after the rule is put in place. The HVAC technicians can still install what they may have but it would also mean less choice for you in the long run until the newer more efficient units are out.
HVAC Industry Thoughts
While the HVAC industry strives to be energy efficient, there comes a point where some believe it is asking too much of the machines or that it can’t be done. While some people agree with this new rule, others are not so sure that it can be done and will be watching this proposal to comment and share their thoughts on the ruling.
What this ruling can mean for you in the long run is having to buy a new furnace. It may increase installation prices or the prices of the furnace you buy. It will be more efficient so it could in turn save money on your power bills down the road. You may also find rebates through taxes and power companies.
As of now this ruling is still in play and has not come about as a regulation just yet. It is something that the HVAC industry and the DOE are working on together to make it better for you. Be sure to keep updated on the new furnace efficiency ratings as you choose to install your new furnace. Talk with your HVAC technician to make sure what furnace unit would work best for your home and budget. Keep an eye on these ratings as it could mean your current furnace type would be no more.