New Goverment regulations on Air/Heat systems

In January of 2006, the United States Department of Energy (DOE)
began enforcing stricter regulations regarding the efficiency of
air conditioning and heat pump systems. The standard by which
they gauge these systems is called SEER (Seasonal Energy
Efficiency Rating). For nearly 10 years, the minimum standard
efficiency has been 10 SEER, but now is 13 SEER. The good news
is that you can expect approximately a 23% increase in
efficiency between 13 SEER and 10 SEER units; however, other
complications exist.

Manufacturers must now cease production of 10 SEER units and
components. The older units on many of your houses will continue
to function, but will eventually be phased out as replacement
parts become unavailable. If no 10 SEER parts are available, it
will necessary to upgrade the system to a 13 SEER unit, which
may require modification to ensure compatibility within the
system. Some modifications will still result in less than peak
efficiency and costs could range between several hundred to
several thousand dollars.

The 13 SEER units are physically larger and will affect pricing
in several ways. The bigger units may not fit where the older
unit did and may require different pads, air handlers and other
equipment for compatibility. The larger size will take more
warehouse and truck space and possibly more than one person to
install.

Most home warranty companies have increased their pricing in
anticipation of these increased costs. Some are also offering
upgraded coverage, so check with your company for details.