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Heating and Air Conditioning Energy-Efficiency and Cost Savings
 When evaluating your home heating and cooling system options, efficiency and cost savings are important variables in your decision. High efficiency systems cost less to operate, and if you prefer to be environmentally conscious, efficient heating and cooling products make a smaller impact by using fewer resources. Eanes heating and air conditioning offers systems engineered with a wide range of efficiency ratings - from minimum industry requirements to highly energy efficient systems. Efficient equipment is not the only way to save money on the purchase or operation of your HVAC system. Carrier™, one of the most trusted brands in the HVAC industry, has provided convenient comparison charts to help you select the system that is best for your needs.
Government and Utility Rebate and Incentive Programs - Government and Utility Rebate and Incentive Programs are also available to residents of the Piedmont Triad of North Carolina.
 ENERGY STAR Program - ENERGY STAR is a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy dedicated to helping US residents to save money and protect the environment through energy efficient products and practices. Ask your Eanes representative about ENERGY STAR qualified products, or click here to find Special Offers and Rebates from ENERGY STAR Partners.
Federal and State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency – The US Department of Energy has established DSIRE, a comprehensive source of information on state, local, utility and federal incentives and policies that promote renewable energy and energy efficiency. DSIRE is an ongoing project of the N.C. Solar Center and the Interstate Renewable Energy Council. View North Carolina Incentives and Policies for Renewables and Efficiency here.
Efficiency Ratings Explained
In your quest to find the ideal HVAC system for your needs, you will encounter several important industry-standard efficiency ratings. The higher efficiency your product, the lower your long-term energy costs will be. As always, your expert Eanes representative can assist you in choosing the heating and cooling systems that are right for you.
SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) is the measure of efficiency by which the cooling process of air conditioners and heat pumps is rated. The higher the SEER number, the greater the efficiency—and therefore greater energy savings. Today, U.S. regulatory agencies require all new products to have a 13.0 SEER rating or better. Below is a convenient chart that shows how much money you save per $100 spent with every increase in SEER rating.
| SEER RATINGS |
MONEY SPENT |
MONEY SAVED |
|
| 8 |
$100.00 |
$0.00 |
| 9 |
$88.00 |
$12.00 |
| 10 |
$81.00 |
$19.00 |
| 11 |
$73.00 |
$27.00 |
| 12 |
$67.00 |
$33.00 |
| 13 |
$62.00 |
$38.00 |
| 14 |
$58.00 |
$42.00 |
| 15 |
$54.00 |
$46.00 |
| 16 |
$51.00 |
$49.00 |
| 17 |
$48.00 |
$52.00 |
| 18 |
$45.00 |
$55.00 |
| 19 |
$41.00 |
$59.00 |
| 20 |
$40.00 |
$60.00 |
| 21 |
$39.00 |
$61.00 |
AFUE (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency) is the standard measurement of efficiency for gas and oil-fired furnaces. Given in percentages, this number tells you how much of your fuel is used to heat your home and how much fuel is wasted. The higher the AFUE rating, the greater the efficiency. The minimum industry AFUE requirement is 78%. Below is a convenient chart that shows how much money you save per $100 spent with every increase in AFUE rating.
| AFUE RATING |
MONEY SPENT |
MONEY SAVED |
|
| 80% |
$100.00 |
$0.00 |
| 80% VS* |
$87.00 |
$13.00 |
| 90% |
$84.00 |
$16.00 |
| 95% |
$77.00 |
$23.00 |
| 96.6% VS* |
$77.00 |
$23.00 |
* With Variable Speed Technology
Savings Tip! If you have an older furnace (with an AFUE of approximately 60%), you could save up to 40% on your heating bills by replacing it with a new high efficiency furnace! The cost to replace your old, inefficient furnace is paid back through lower utility bills.
HSPF (Heating Seasonal Performance Factor) is the efficiency measurement used to gauge the efficiency of the heating mode of heat pumps. The higher the number, the greater the efficiency and cost-savings. Today's models are required to have a 6.8 HSPF. Below is a convenient chart that shows how much money you save per $100 spent with every increase in HSPF rating.
| HSPF RATING |
MONEY SPENT |
MONEY SAVED |
|
| 6.8 |
$100.00 |
$0.00 |
| 7.2 |
$87.00 |
$13.00 |
| 7.8 |
$79.00 |
$21.00 |
| 8.6 |
$76.00 |
$24.00 |
| 8.9 |
$74.00 |
$26.00 |
| 9 |
$73.00 |
$27.00 |
| 9 |
$72.00 |
$28.00 |
| 10 |
$71.00 |
$29.00 |
| 10 |
$71.00 |
$29.00 |
Savings Tip! Higher efficiency in heat pumps and air conditioners usually means higher equipment cost but lower utility bills. If you live in a warm and/or humid climate such as the Piedmont Triad of North Carolina, you will probably see the higher cost of a high efficiency air conditioner or heat pump paid back (through lower utility bills) in a few short years. Your Eanes Heating and Air Representative can help you determine about how long it would take to recover the additional cost in energy savings. After the payback, you continue to save on your energy bills.
If you would like to find out more about how a new system may save you money over the long run, call Eanes at 336.883.3903 or contact us by email here.
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