You have surely seen the Energy Star logo on appliance stickers. It's a familiar logo now, but if you asked what it means the common answer is, "The unit will use less energy." But this appliance rating really applies to much more than just the amount of energy produced.
The Energy Star rating was created through a cooperative effort between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of energy. The goals of the program include:
That's a lot of end goals represented by a little label. Heating and cooling systems that earn this rating will be cheaper to operate and kinder to the environment. Did you know that statistics show that approximately half of all the energy used in a house is the result of running a furnace or air conditioner?When you heat and cool more efficiently you are actually lowering a major household expense.
Proper Installation is Half the Energy Battle
Of course, when you buy an HVAC system or home heating and air conditioning unit,you will need to make sure it is properly installed. The Energy Star folks not only developed an energy rating. They also created the Quality Installation guidelines. You need a professional installer who is familiar with and can follow the Quality Installation guidelines to insure your unit works as intended.
But even those who have an older system can benefit. The professional heating and air conditioning technician can often apply many of the Energy Star maintenance and performance improving techniques to older systems too. Your home will feel more comfortable because your unit is working more efficiently. This is true for HVAC systems installed in businesses too.