Barring any changes stemming from the pending lawsuit against the Department of Energy (DOE), the new regional efficiency standards for residential furnaces, air conditioners, and heat pumps are scheduled to become effective May 1, 2013. The new rules will affect residential furnaces first, by mandating that nonweatherized furnaces installed in Northern states after that date meet a minimum efficiency of 90 percent AFUE.
This has caused some concern for contractors, who are still waiting to hear from the DOE about how the new standards will be enforced, especially in regard to unscrupulous contractors who could theoretically bring lower efficiency furnaces across state lines. They also worry about the homes in which installing a condensing furnace will be extremely difficult and/or expensive, due to venting and drainage requirements.