Did you know that the cost of HVAC units will increase this year? The Federal Government passed new regulations that increased the SEER rating for all new HVAC units.
Every seven years, the Department of Energy (DOE) reviews the energy efficiency of all HVAC units and will adjust the efficiency rating accordingly.
The change is not Universal for all states as each state is expected to comply with the rating set by the DOE. The new SEER ratings are higher than before, and instead of SEER the rating is now SEER2. HVAC providers will need to know what ratings apply to the part of the country they serve. As for the HVAC manufacturers, they have to build all the new HVAC units with the new SEER2 efficiency. And if the HVAC manufacturers are changing the way they build the new units, it just means that they will incur additional costs. Of course, that cost will be passed down to the consumer. Therefore, if you’re a homeowner looking to purchase a new HVAC system this year, chances are, you’ll be paying more money for the new unit. In addition to the increase in cost for the new units, the cost of parts will also increase. Fortunately, if you have an older HVAC unit as I do, there is no need to change the unit. I am hoping that this remains that way because purchasing a new HVAC unit is not on my radar anytime soon. I know that I will be paying more for service as well as for parts, an expense that I will need to absorb because of the new regulations.