New Furnace Law Affects Kansas City Homeowners in 2013
New furnace laws are coming to the Kansas City area in 2013. As of May 1, the Department of Energy (DOE) has mandated all new furnaces installed in homes in our northern region must be at least 90% efficient or greater. This is important for a number of reasons:
1. The new furnaces are vented through PVC pipe instead of a metal vent like a traditional furnace. For most houses, this means the new furnace will vent out the side of the house through the basement instead of up through the roof. This can affect homes that have a finished basement and the furnace is in a utility room. So homeowners may need to rip out walls or ceilings to run the new venting.
2. High efficiency furnaces are also condensing furnaces, which means they drain water much like your indoor air conditioning coil does in summer. This could be a problem for homes where a furnace is installed in an unfinished attic space. The condensation could freeze during a cold Kansas City winter, which could shut down the furnace and cause serious damage to the home.
Right now, homeowners have options when it comes to replacing their furnace, but after May 1, 2013 they will have to install the new, high efficiency furnace when it is time to replace the heating unit. Call Lancaster Brothers for options and a free estimate if you know your furnace is over 10 years old or installed in a finished basement or attic.