You may have been looking at replacing your heating and cooling system over the last year. In that case, you might have heard about some changes coming up in January. If not, or if what you’ve heard doesn’t make sense, we hope we can clear things up for you. In this article, we discuss why heat pumps and air conditioners should be more expensive in 2023. That way if you need or want a new system, you can make an informed decision before the year ends.
The Department of Energy is increasing the testing standards used to rate the energy efficiency of their equipment. The current tests often use "ideal laboratory environments" for their tests today. The new tests should be closer to real-world situations instead. This should result in more efficient equipment, lower utility bills, and lower emissions.
Because of these new testing rules, manufacturers have to change how they do a lot of their testing. They need to retrain their employees and redesign system components. In fact, they need to renovate all heat pump and air conditioning systems by January 1, 2023. And that's even if they meet current standards.
Stricter regulations like these come up whenever technology improves or air pollution gets worse. And it's always been true that you'll pay more upfront for higher-efficiency equipment. Since 1992, minimum efficiency requirements have increased 3 times, with the 2023 change coming in at number 4. And each time the rules get stricter, the cost of equipment goes up, too.
All these renovations are going to cost more. That means heat pumps and air conditioners made before January 1st will cost less than ones made after. So, if you know you need a new heat pump or AC and you want to save some money upfront, you may want to look at doing it now. If you choose to wait, you may end up with a system that costs less in utility bills over time.
Any skilled HVAC technician should be able answer more questions about these upcoming changes. If you’re considering a new system, it can be a good idea to work with a technician you trust to find the best fit for your situation. If you don’t know a technician and you would like to get a free estimate, let us know. We can show you how to save as much as you can. You can give us a call or schedule an appointment online.
