You'll See Savings Grow With Energy Star Equipment

If you're looking for household energy savings, one of the best things you can do is invest in home heating and cooling appliances that help you save electricity and fuel. In the average household, more than half of all energy consumption is accounted for by space heating in the winter and home cooling in the summer. By choosing heating and cooling equipment that uses less energy, you can realize dramatic energy savings, all while doing the environment a favor.

The easiest way to identify heating and cooling equipment that will deliver energy savings is to look for the Energy Star seal. The Energy Star program was created by the federal government to give consumers a fast and easy way to spot appliances that use less energy than conventional models.

To earn the Energy Star seal, a furnace or air conditioner must be at least 10 percent more efficient than the minimum levels required by federal law, and it must also use non-proprietary technologies to ensure that no single company gains a monopoly over the marketplace. While some Energy Star certified furnaces and air conditioners are more expensive than their standard counterparts, at least in terms of the up-front cost, products that bear the seal will also allow you to recoup the difference in price in energy savings over the appliance's expected lifespan. In fact, in many cases, Energy Star labeled furnaces and air conditioners help you save significant amounts of money instead of just breaking even.

With furnaces and air conditioners, you should know know about AFUE and SEER ratings. Every furnace has an AFUE rating, and this number tells you how much of the energy you put into the furnace is converted into heat (and how much escapes through your chimney or vents). Similarly, SEER ratings identify air conditioner efficiency; the higher, the better.

Here at Comfort Services, we're committed to helping the environment while ensuring homeowners stay comfortable. If you have any questions about the Energy Star program or want to learn more about our energy-efficient furnaces and air conditioners, please don't hesitate to contact us.