Energy Star Approved HVAC Appliances

If you are considering replacing your home’s furnace or air conditioning system, ask your HVAC technician about Energy Star appliances.

The Energy Star Program

The Energy Star program is a not-for-profit organization promoting consumer energy savings. Their goal is not only to help homeowners save money but also to protect the environment. Ratings are shown in kWhs used per year. The lower that number is, the more energy efficient the appliance is. The label attached to an air conditioner is only describing its energy efficiency. It may not be the best model, but it will save you the most money in energy costs.

For an appliance such as a central air conditioning unit to even be allowed to carry the Energy Star label, it must first meet some stringent criteria. It must serve its purpose while still being energy efficient. Consumers expect an air conditioner to cool off their home, no matter how energy efficient it is. A unit will not be awarded a star if it cannot do that. If the air conditioner is energy efficient but considerably higher priced than a less efficient counterpart, a consumer has to be able to recoup the cost in utility bill savings within a reasonable amount of time. So if the model you choose is Energy Star approved, but $200 more than a similar, less efficient model, you can expect to recover that $200 in a decreased electric bill over a short period.

If you have an older central air conditioning unit in your home and are considering a new one, go to the Energy Star website and take their quick home energy efficiency test. If the results are poor, replacing your old unit may be an excellent long-term investment for your home. Air conditioning units do not have a long life expectancy and will begin to put a lot of strain on your energy bill as they get older.

HVAC Appliances In The Energy Star Program

Air conditioners are not the only HVAC appliance in your home that can receive an Energy Star rating. Gas furnaces that receive an Energy Star label can be up to 16% more energy efficient than other models and save a homeowner around $90 annually in energy costs.

Air source heat pumps, which run off electricity, are almost 10% more efficient if they have an Energy Star label than new models that don’t. Energy Star makes strong recommendations for geothermal heat pumps in American homes. So much so that they offer a 30% tax rebate to homeowners who install them; these are 45% more energy efficient than air source pumps and will show substantial savings in your energy costs.

St Louis HVAC Company

Energy-conscious homeowners should take advantage of the free rating service Energy Star offers when considering replacing their home’s HVAC appliances. While the initial investment may seem costly, the savings you will see over time will more than makeup for it.