Wednesday, August 8, 2012

New Regional Appliance Standards Take Effect May 2013




The regional standards established by the Department of Energy (DOE) that are set to go into effect May 1, 2013. For the first time, the HVAC industry is being regulated not on what is being manufactured, but rather what is being installed. What does this mean to you? 
Starting May 1, 2013, gas furnaces installed in the Northern Region will have to be at least 90% AFUE. The states included in the Northern Region are: Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. Gas furnaces installed in all other states must be at least 80% AFUE.
What will impact homeowners in our area, is the requirement of 90% minimum efficiency for all furnaces sold.  We’re not talking about just new construction, but retrofit as well. We are concerned about the impact this will have particularly on owners of condos and townhomes.
As of today, when it’s time to replace a furnace in a condo or a townhome, the homeowner usually has no choice but to install a standard efficiency (80% efficient) furnace.  Upgrading to a high efficiency furnace requires a pvc vent, usually (and preferrably) out the side of the home.  Energy conscious townhome and condo owners will opt for an 80% efficient furnace with a high efficiency, DC drive blower motor.

As of May 2013, condo and townhome owners will have no choice but to install a 90%+ efficient furnace.  In many cases, to make a high efficiency furnace work in a condo or townhome will require major remodeling work.
If you’re an owner of a condo or a townhome and are concerned about whether the new rules will impact you, here are a few things to consider.  Most furnaces in condos and townhomes that were built 10+ years ago are standard efficiency furnaces.  If your furnace has a metal chimney, it is a standard efficiency furnace.  A PVC vent connected to your furnace means you are in the clear.  The second thing to look as is whether the utility room is on an exterior wall.  Being on an exterior wall means running a vent out the side of your home MAY be minimially intrusive.  Keep in mind that just because it’s on the exterior wall, a number of other factors still need to be considered to determine whether a high efficiency vent will be feasible.  You can’t have exhaust fumes near a window, fresh air intake, gas meter, etc.  Lastly, running new venting is often not allowed by townhome and condo associations.  But, that will soon change!
This law puts a lot homeowners against the ropes. I urge homeowners to act now, because local HVAC suppliers are already depleating their stock of 80% furnaces.  Part of the new law bans local suppliers from selling standard efficiency furnaces. For more information contact us at Komfort Heating & Cooling. 

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