When dealing with heating, cooling and ventilation systems, designed to keep you comfortable and breathing healthy air at home here in Northern Indiana, you’ll come across the following rating systems for HVAC products. It pays to be an informed consumer, so here’s an outline of what the ratings and certifications mean to you:
Furnaces are given an AFUE (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency) rating, measuring their seasonal fuel efficiency. The rating tells you the amount of heat produced for each dollar you spend on fuel. (The AFUE doesn’t rate the amount of electricity used – just the unit’s fuel efficiency.) The higher the rating percentage, the better. A 90 percent rating means that the unit will convert 90 percent of its fuel to heat and the other 10 percent goes out the chimney. A minimum 90 percent efficiency for gas furnaces and 85 percent for oil-powered units is required for products to earn the US government’s blessing with the Energy Star label. Energy Star is a joint program of the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) and DOE (Department of Energy).
Cooling equipment is given a SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) rating, which expresses the cooling output (in Btus or British thermal units) during an average summer divided by the electric energy input (in watt-hours) during the season. Higher ratings are better, meaning more energy efficient air conditioners/systems which will cost less to operate. SEERs of 14 or greater meet Energy Star’s qualifications.
NATE (North American Technician Excellence) is an independent, non-profit certification organization dedicated to promoting excellence in HVAC service. NATE-certified technicians have proven their industry knowledge by passing specialized certification tests. The certification gives you a basis of comparison between companies/technicians and peace of mind when choosing someone to work in your home.
The local HVAC professionals at Home Comfort Experts proudly serve the entire 10-county Northern Indiana area. Our founder has been in the business for more than 31 years. We offer experienced advice, service, installation and maintenance of your heating, cooling and indoor air quality systems. Contact us with any HVAC questions and if you need service, our work, products and low prices are guaranteed.
Home Comfort services the Mishawaka/South Bend areas of Indiana.