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With January’s cold weather, no doubt many homeowners turned their attention to their furnaces. But the weather isn’t the only reason to take a look at your heating situation. New regulations taking effect May 1, 2013 will bring stringent new requirements for gas furnaces.

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The 2007 “Energy Bill”

In 2007, Congress passed the Energy Security and Independence Act. As a result, all furnaces that are sold and installed in northern states, including Colorado, must meet 90% AFUE (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency) standards.

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Savings in Energy Costs

The new requirements will allow homeowners to save money in energy costs over the life of the furnace (If your average gas bill is $600 per year, changing from an 80% to a 90% efficient furnace should save you $60 per year). It will also allow the environment to benefit greatly by the lower energy usage.

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Replacement Can be Costly

Replacement can result in costly issues for homeowners. Because the new furnaces are condensing units, their emissions rust the sheet metal. For this reason, new furnaces will require a PVC/CPVC flue to be installed. The PVC/CPVC pipe will no longer go through the roof, as the typical old venting did, but will be routed horizontally through the ceiling to exterior walls. For those with finished basements, this could require tearing out existing ceilings.

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In light of the changes, homeowners with old furnaces may want to talk to a heating contractor about the implications of these mandates before the new rules go into effect.

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Want to learn more about remodeling and DIY home improvement?

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Check out RE/Max of Cherry Creek’s blog  for remodeling tips.

Or contact your Denver real estate agent.

 

Resource: http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-110hr6enr/pdf/BILLS-110hr6enr.pdf