Everyone wants to be a star. Why should your furnace be any different? Your heating system doesn’t want to be just any star; it wants to be an Energy Star®! What does the Energy Star® label on a furnace do for you?
What is Energy Star®?
Under the Clean Air Act Section 103(g) in 1992, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) created the ENERGY STAR program. According to EnergyStar.gov, “ENERGY STAR is the government-backed symbol for energy efficiency, providing simple, credible, and unbiased information that consumers and businesses rely on to make well-informed decisions.” In fact, thousands of industrial, commercial, utility, state, and local organizations – including some Fortune 500 companies – partner with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
What are the Energy Star® benefits?
The ENERGY STAR program benefits consumers, manufacturers, and agencies in several ways. With respect to ENERGY STAR certified products, the program provides:
- Unbiased credibility: The EPA sets performance-based expectations in energy efficiency, independently certifying products with the ENERGY STAR label.
- Efficient markets: The EPA through its ENERGY STAR certification, identifies unique products offering genuine savings to the consumer. It also provides tools partner manufacturers and retailers use to differentiate their products.
- Continued savings: The EPA ensures ENERGY STAR requirements pace with the market to provide continued savings.
- Effective cooperation: In 2009 the EPA and Department of Energy (DOE) partnered to capitalize on each department’s strengths in both maintaining the integrity of the ENERGY STAR label and developing test procedures to verify ENERGY STAR products meet the standards for energy efficiency and environmental protection.
Why own an ENERGY STAR furnace?
Buying one takes much of the guesswork out of your furnace purchase. The ENERGY STAR certification ensures the furnace meets strict EPA energy efficiency guidelines. A well-maintained furnace not only provides savings on utility bills over its non-certified counterparts, it also protects the environment by preventing carbon pollution and reducing greenhouse gases.
The EPA and DOE have thoroughly tested ENERGY STAR furnaces for years. Look for the ENERGY STAR label to confirm that the product meets the highest standards of energy efficiency and environmental protection.
