home heating & cooling systems
 

Heating & cooling your home accounts for about 44 percent of your utility bill. It uses more energy than any other system in your home. Reducing energy use for heating is the one best way to reduce your home's contribution to global environmental problems.

Because residential energy use represents 20 percent of all U.S. energy use & nearly half of all energy used in the home is for heating & cooling, a primary focus of the ENERGY STAR® Labeling Program is home heating & cooling equipment. Consumers spend 6 to 12 percent of their gross incomes paying for home fuel & utility costs. By purchasing energy-efficient heating & cooling equipment, consumers can reduce energy use, save money & help the environment.

Heating & cooling equipment comes w/ two price tags: the cost of purchasing the equipment & the cost to run it. Although ENERGY STAR® heating & cooling systems often cost more to buy, they can cost much less to run because they use less energy. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that when properly sized, installed & maintained, ENERGY STAR labeled heating & cooling products can save consumers 10 to 40 percent on heating & cooling costs.

• ENERGY STAR® is the symbol for energy efficiency.
  
  
• ENERGY STAR labeled products use less energy than other products, save you money on utility bills & help protect the environment. Look for the ENERGY STAR® label on household appliances, home electronics, office equipment, heating & cooling equipment, windows, residential light fixtures & other products.
  
  
• ENERGY STAR® is a voluntary partnership between the U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, product manufacturers, local utilities & retailers. Partners help promote efficient products by labeling w/ the ENERGY STAR logo & educating consumers about the benefits of energy efficiency. By choosing ENERGY STAR labeled products, you'll keep your utility bills down & help the environment at the same time.

Energy Guide labels are on all new room air conditioners, central air conditioners, heat pumps & furnaces. These labels are bright yellow w/ black lettering.

The labels for room air conditioners, central air conditioners, heat pumps & furnaces provide the range of energy efficiency ratings for these products (EER, SEER, HSPF & SEER & AFUE, respectively). Labels on the most efficient models will show "This Model's Efficiency" at or near the right-hand end of the range, close to the words "Most Efficient."

New furnaces now carry Energy Guide labels showing their Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE). Energy Guide labels on heating & cooling equipment refer customers to manufacturers' fact sheets available from the seller or installer. These fact sheets give further information about the efficiency & operating costs of the equipment under consideration.

Remember, even w/ an energy efficient system w/in your home you will have a much greater impact on your energy costs if you take a whole-house approach. By combining proper equipment maintenance & upgrades w/ appropriate insulation, weatherization & thermostat settings, you can cut your energy bills & your pollution output in half.

energy saving tips when heating & cooling the home