888.630.9224Because AAA Heating & Air Conditioning cares about helping our customers save money and improve the environment, we wanted to help you make sense of the ENERGY STAR® program and what it means for your heating or cooling system. This is Part 5 of a 9 part series on the subject that is published every other Thursday. If you missed our previous posts, you can find them here: AAA Heating & Air Conditioning ENERGY STAR blog posts
If you have tried all of the other steps shown in our previous posts and you still continue to experience problems, or if your heating or cooling system is over 10 years old or not working, you might want to consider replacing your equipment with a high-efficiency unit that has earned the ENERGY STAR. Here are some facts to help you in your decision making.
Furnaces are the most commonly used heating system in the United States. Those that have earned the ENERGY STAR have a higher AFUE rating, which is the measure of the efficiency. Most furnaces that can qualify for the ENERGY STAR will be the condensing furnaces where the transfer of heat is so thorough that water or condensate is a byproduct of combustion. Systems that are over 90% efficient have earned this distinction.
Central Air Conditioners
Most residential central air conditioners are called split-systems because they have an outdoor component and an indoor component. It’s very important to replace both of these units at the same time to maximize efficiency and prevent premature failure of the system. ENERGY STAR qualified central air conditioners have a higher SEER rating, which is the measurement of efficiency.
Heat Pumps provide both heating and cooling in one integrated system. They use the difference between the oudoor and indoor air temperatures to cool and heat. ENERGY STAR qualified heat pumps have higher SEER ratings than conventional models. They also have a higher Heating and Seasonal Performance Factor (HSPF), which measures the heating efficiency of the heat pump.
Next week in our series on ENERGY STAR: Working With A Heating & Cooling Contractor
Source: www.energystar.gov
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