These days, many homeowners are looking forward to living green while saving a little green as well. There’s no better way of doing just that than by looking for new heating and cooling products with the Energy Star logo.
Created by the U.S. Department of Energy, the Energy Star program helps consumers make smart choices when it comes to buying new energy-efficient appliances and electronics, including residential HVAC systems. Qualifying appliances must meet stringent federal standards, and products exceeding those standards offer significant savings on annual energy costs.
How You Can Benefit
In order to meet or exceed Energy Star requirements, qualifying appliances often take advantage of the latest in efficiency-boosting technology. The end result is improved efficiency and performance:
- furnaces offer higher AFUE (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency) ratings through the use of highly efficient electronically commutated motors (ECMs), as well as “condensing” furnace technology that provides over 90 percent efficiency through thorough combustion, with condensate as a byproduct.
- boilers utilize electronic ignition as well as technologies that pull more heat from the same amount of fuel for greater efficiency, resulting in higher AFUE ratings.
- central air conditioners also use a combination of energy-efficient technologies to achieve higher SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) ratings as well as higher EER (Energy Efficiency Ratio) numbers, resulting in systems that perform better while using less energy. It’s usually recommended that you replace your heating and cooling system at the same time to maximize both performance and efficiency.
- geothermal and electric air-source heat pumps offer a higher HSPF (Heating Seasonal Performance Factor) than ordinary heat pumps. By relying on the earth’s natural heat, geothermal heat pumps are considered the most efficient and ultimately cost-effective of all heating and cooling technologies.
To learn more about the benefits of Energy Star appliances, contact the professionals at Bill Joplin’s Air Conditioning & Heating, proudly serving customers in the McKinney, Frisco and Allen areas since 1978.
