For those of you who are unfamiliar with energy efficiency standards in the HVAC field, we are here to break down the key important elements that are important for you to know. These elements are crucial to understanding as a homeowner or HVAC professional especially with the new energy efficiency standards that are to come in January 2023. Keep clicking to learn more!
The first big push for energy efficiency standards began in 2015 when The Department of Energy (DOE) placed ordinances on how residential air conditioning and heat pumps were regulated. DOE segmented the country into three big regions North, South, and Southwest that have region-specific restrictions.
For homeowners, this is extremely important to understand the change in SEER, and will help you navigate a conversation when talking to your next HVAC professional. in blatant terms, the higher the SEER, the higher the efficiency which in the long run will help you save money month to month.
“To think in terms of dollars and cents. A 16 SEER unit is about 13% more efficient than a 14 SEER. For every $100 you spend to cool your home with a 14 SEER, you could save $13 on your monthly bill by upgrading to the 16 SEER unit." - Deciding Between 14 SEER & 16 SEER At the end of the day, your HVAC units may become more expensive, but they will become efficient in serving you and your household.
Along with the mandate to change the level of SEER within the products themselves, testing also will change. Testing procedures for heat pumps and air conditioners will operate differently. Instead of working on the SEER scale, it will now operate on a SEER2, HSPF2, or EER2 basis.