In order to qualify for tax rebates you need to meet certain federal or state efficiency standards, and even Energy Star does not guarantee its products will make the cut. In the list below are all of the units of measurement used to figure out the eligibility for tax credits.
- IECC 2009 International Code Council sets standard methods for compliance in energy efficient residential and non residential construction.
- AFUE (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency) The efficiency of your gas heating equipment measured by the amount of heat gained per dollar spent on fuel. A higher rating indicates more efficient equipment. Range: anywhere from 0% (no heat gain) to 100% (pure electricity)
- COP (Coefficient Of Performance) This term for heat pumps is a ratio of useful heating to the work necessary to heat. Range: Generally 2 to 4 for Air source heat pumps and 3 to 5 for water and ground source.
- EER (Energy Efficiency Ratio) Overall energy efficiency rating of the system. A higher rating means higher efficiency. Click here to calculate the savings from a more energy efficient unit.
- SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) The yearly efficiency rating of a system.
- Energy Factor The measure of overall efficiency for water heaters, dish and clothes washers, and clothes dryers.
- HSPF (Heating Seasonal Performance Factor) The efficiency rating of the heating mechanism of a heat pump. New heat pumps usually start with a 7.0 to 9.4 HSPF rating.
- SHGC (Solar Heat Gain Coefficient) The measure of how much sunlight, and thus heat, a window will block. The less heat gain, the lower the SHGC rating. Range: 0 to 1
- Thermal Efficiency Similar to AFUE, but instead is measured by the ratio of work done by the system, to the heat given to it.
- U-Factor Basically the opposite of SHGC. It measure measures how efficient doors, windows, and skylights are at keeping heat in. Range: 0.20 to 1.20
- Manufacturer’s Certification Statement A signed certification by the manufacturer that their product is eligible for tax rebates. This can sometimes be found on the manufacturer’s website due to IRS recommendation.
- Split System & Package System Both are air conditioner units. A packaged system has all of the cooling and blowing units together as one unit, while the split-system has an indoor air handler containing the fan and evaporator coils and an outdoor part made up of the compressor.
- Uniform Energy Factor (UEF) The latest measurement of water heater efficiency.
