HVAC Efficiency Standards Will Look a Little Different Come 2015

In April 2014, the United States Department of Energy (DOE) implemented changes to HVAC efficiency standards. These changes will go into effect on January 1, 2015, and apply to both commercial and residential equipment. Understanding these changes are important to homeowners who may be in need of a new furnace, air conditioner or split system heat pump.  What Is Changing?

• Starting on January 1, 2015, new Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) standards will go into effect for all newly installed heat pumps and air conditioners. These standards will differ by region. In most areas, including Oklahoma, the 13 SEER standard for air conditioners will increase to 14 SEER.

• All areas of the country will move to new split system heat pump regulations. A new heat pump efficiency standard of 14 SEER and 8.2 Heating Seasonal Performance Factor (HSPF) will be enforced nationally. A HSPF value measures the efficiency of air-source heat pumps and helps homeowners understand the relative efficiency of different models.

• Also in 2015, all new gas furnaces will require an Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE) value of 80 percent. This value measures the efficiency of the furnace and the ability to condense water out of flue gasses for future use. Homeowners will notice that units with a AFUE value of 90 percent or better are identified as "condensing" products for their ability to efficiently recoup and condense gasses.

If you are in the market for new HVAC components, or if you have any questions about HVAC efficiency standards, contact our team at Air Assurance Heating, Air Conditioning, and Plumbing. We have proudly served the Tulsa metropolitan area for nearly 30 years, and we're ready to help you understand these changing standards.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).

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Regional Efficiency Standards: A Settlement Has Been Reached

Recently, regional efficiency standards for HVAC equipment have been changed by the industry and the Department of Energy. Let's go over what this means for your household.

In 2006, the standard SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) for air conditioners and heat pumps was raised from 10 to 13. In 2010, equipment manufacturers partnered with efficiency specialists to develop new regional efficiency standards, accounting for different climate conditions throughout the US. In the South and Southwest, SEER requirements were raised to 14, while they remained at 13 in the North.

Equivalent regional efficiency standards and adjustments have also been set for other equipment, such as gas furnaces.

However, the proposed January 2015 adjustments posed a few issues for manufacturers and distributors, so a new agreement has been reached with the DOE. It affects different equipment and regions in different ways.

Before we jump into the new rules, let’s go over a few terms. SEER we’ve already discussed. HSPF is related to heat pump efficiency, and stands for Heating Seasonal Performance Factor. AFUE is for furnaces, and stands for Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency.

These new regional efficiency standards apply to all equipment manufactured after January 2015.

• Split system air conditioners: SEER 14 (This number applies specifically to the South, including Oklahoma.)

• Single package air conditioners: SEER 14

• Split system heat pumps: SEER 14, HSPF 8.2

• Single package heat pumps: SEER 14, HSPF 8.0

• Small-duct, high-velocity systems: SEER 13, HSPF 7.7

• Space-constrained air conditioners and heat pumps: SEER 12 (Heat pumps must meet an HSPF of 7.4.)

• Gas-fired furnaces: AFUE 80%

While these numbers will become regional efficiency standards as of January 2015, there’s an 18-month grace period for distributors to sell through equipment manufactured before then.

These developments don't mean you’ll be forced to upgrade your equipment. They do mean that if you purchase new equipment made in 2015 or later, it will comply with these standards, saving you money and reducing your impact on the environment.

Let us know if you have questions. Air Assurance has been serving the Greater Tulsa metro area since 1985, and we’ll be happy to help.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). 

Image courtesy of Shutterstock

Ductless Mini Splits: Learn How to Use Them During Cooler Weather

Ductless Mini Splits: Learn How to Use Them During Cooler Weather

More people are turning to ductless mini splits as an efficient way to condition spaces without the use of ductwork. While their ability to cool is a given, in climates where winter temperatures fall below 30, like ours do occasionally, the mini split may have to work harder to keep your room or space comfortable. These tips can help you improve the performance of your mini split when temperatures fall:

• Place the indoor air handler approximately 18 inches off the floor. Heat rises and if the air handler sits high on the wall or hangs from the ceiling, the air will be colder near the floor and in the mid-levels in the room. If your system has already been installed and it would be difficult to move the air handler, consider hanging a ceiling fan with a reversible switch to move the heated air down toward the floor to increase comfort.

• Do what you can to make the space more energy efficient. All ductless mini splits perform better when the heating load is lower. Adding more insulation to the attic will help, as will sealing air leaks and tending to the windows. Hanging thermal drapes will cut the amount of heat that moves through the glass, as will installing thermal or Energy Star windows.

• If you're installing a new mini split, choose a unit that has a high HSPF (heating season performance factor). The minimum is 7.7, but units are available that surpass 10 HSPF. Mini splits with scroll compressors provide more heat than those with a standard compressor.

• Keep snow away from the outdoor condenser by either building a shelter over the top, allowing plenty of space above and beside it for air circulation.

• Keep the air filter clean and follow the maintenance schedule the manufacturer recommends for evaporator and condenser coil cleaning, along with professional maintenance. A clean filter and evaporator coil promote efficient heating.

To learn more about getting the most out of ductless mini splits during cold weather, contact Air Assurance. We've provided trusted HVAC services for the Broken Arrow area since 1985.Normal0falsefalsefalseEN-USX-NONEX-NONE/* Style Definitions */table.MsoNormalTable{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;mso-style-noshow:yes;mso-style-priority:99;mso-style-parent:"";mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;mso-para-margin:0in;mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;mso-pagination:widow-orphan;font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";}

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). 

Image courtesy of Shutterstock

11 HVAC Terms Every Tulsa Area Homeowner Should Know

When it comes to heating and cooling a Tulsa-area home, homeowners are at a disadvantage. Why? HVAC terms require time to understand them, and heating and cooling is generally not an area of expertise for the average homeowner. With just a little knowledge under your belt, however, you can use these HVAC terms to effectively communicate with your HVAC technician the next time your equipment requires service or repair, or you’re ready to upgrade. Here’s what you need to know:

• Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER), the cooling efficiency rating that reveals a unit’s performance capacity. This rating is used with central air conditioning and heat pumps

• Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE), the rating used to show the efficiency potential for furnaces (and boilers)

• Heating Seasonal Performance Factor (HSPF), the heating term used to show a heat pump’s potential for heating efficiency

• Air handler, the unit that’s located indoors. Consisting of a motor and a fan, the air handler pushes conditioned air into the home

• Condenser, or the heat exchanger, employed in air conditioning and heat pump systems to condense refrigerant into a liquid, which facilities heat transfer

• Heat exchanger, a separate component of the furnace that helps to transfer heat that’s generated by the burners

• Ductwork, the system of interconnected pipes that snake throughout your home to supply conditioned air to the living spaces

• Ventilation system, a mechanical device that encourages air circulation in the home, and facilitates the equal exchange of outgoing and incoming air

• Air filter, the device that filters out impurities from the air before that air supply moves into the heating/cooling system

• Load calculation, a method for calculating the home’s unique heating and cooling load, which is used to help the contractor select the right-sized system

• Manual D, the methodology employed when sizing ductwork

• Manual S, the method used to size the heating or cooling system, used in conjunction with the load calculation

With a few HVAC terms under your belt, contact Air Assurance Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing for more information about installing, repairing or maintaining your home’s heating and cooling systems. We've served homeowners in greater Broken Arrow for nearly 30 years.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). Image courtesy of Shutterstock