Motor Manufacturers Strive to Meet Furnace Fan Standards
DOE mandates drive cutting-edge innovation.
As a part of its Energy Conservation Program for consumer products, the Department of Energy (DOE) establishes energy efficiency standards for many appliances used daily in American households. Prior to 2014, the DOE had not issued any new energy efficient furnace regulations for decades nor were there any federal energy conservation standards for residential furnace fans. In 2014, all that changed when the DOE announced national efficiency standards that specify a maximum fan energy rating (FER) for furnace fans that will take effect July 3, 2019. FER is the amount of electricity needed to move a cubic foot of air per minute (watts/cfm).
This new furnace fan standard is a first for the DOE, which, up until now, has regulated the system-based performance of HVAC units, not the energy efficiency of individual components. Furnaces are already tested for gas efficiency (AFUE) and electrical efficiency (SEER) as part of a total system analysis.