The new year is almost here, and with it comes change. Hopefully positive changes to our lives and our surroundings, but also changes to laws and regulations that affect us, including HVAC industry changes.
Here are some new and updated HVAC regulations that will be important for homeowners in 2018.
HVAC Efficiency
Currently, air conditioning energy efficiency is measured in either EER (Energy Efficiency Ratio) or SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio). They tell you how much cooling the unit produces for the amount of energy it uses. The problem is, the measurement is taken when the system is running at full capacity. But your A/C doesn’t generally run at full capacity in your home, making the measurement misleading for everyday use.
Therefore, beginning in 2018, A/C efficiency will use a new metric: IEER (Integrated Energy Efficiency Ratio). It measures the system’s efficiency at four different capacities and averages them together, to create a more accurate assessment of how it will run on an everyday basis.
Refrigerant
In order to combat global warming, the government is attempting to reduce and eventually eliminate the use of refrigerants in HVAC systems that can cause harm to the ozone layer. Therefore, one of the major HVAC industry changes in 2018 will be to regulate who is allowed to work with these chemicals.
At the beginning of this year, regulations went into effect stating that any HVAC technician wanting to purchase or otherwise work with Chlorofluorocarbons (CFS) or Hydrochloroflurocarbons (HCFCs) first had to pass a certification exam. Beginning in 2018, Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) will fall under that same standard.
What does that mean for you? It means that if your refrigerant level is low, the HVAC technician who recharges it for you needs to be certified in how to handle it properly, so as not to harm the environment.
With more accurate efficiency metrics and stricter regulations on harmful chemicals, HVAC systems and service both stand to improve significantly in the coming year.
To learn more about HVAC industry changes, contact us at Mowery Heating, Cooling and Plumbing. We’re Indianapolis’ trusted source for quality HVAC solutions.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Brownsburg, Indiana and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).
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