Consumers have known for years that heating equipment with the Energy Star logo can be counted on for energy savings. Now there is a new designation within the Energy Star program that helps homeowners identify the “best of the best.” This is the Energy Star Most Efficient label, which came out as a pilot program in 2011 and is now active throughout the country. This new designation applies to products that meet higher standards and can fall into the top 5 percent for energy efficiency. Only a select number of products are chosen for this designation, and they must demonstrate a level of energy efficiency that is “truly exceptional, inspirational or leading edge.”
Since 1992, the Energy Star Program has worked with more than 20,000 private and public sector organizations to provide the technical information that consumers need to make wise purchasing decisions about energy-efficient products. This is particularly important for heating and cooling equipment, which represents a very large investment for homeowners. Now with the Most Efficient label, consumers have even more reliable information to find a system that will provide energy-efficient operation, along with solid performance, for years to come.
In order to qualify for the Energy Star Most Efficient label, furnaces must:
- Be certified by an EPA-recognized certification body
- Have an annual fuel utilization efficiency (AFUE) rating of 97 percent or higher
- Have a thermostat that can control the system with a user interface
- Have a communications system with two-way communications to at least one system controller model
- Be able to transmit fault codes, indicating a need for a technician to service the furnace, to at least one system controller model
- Be able to automatically configure settings by sending and receiving information to at least one system controller model
Heating systems that are not eligible for the Most Efficient designation include mobile home furnaces, weatherized gas furnaces and oil furnaces.
Ace Hardware Home Services, Inc. can provide expert advice about the new Energy Star Most Efficient label and answer any questions you may have about finding the most energy-efficient heating or cooling system for your home. For more information, please contact us. We’ve been serving the Dayton area since 1978.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Dayton, Ohio about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about Energy Star and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
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