Reining in a Little-Known Energy Hog

In Summer 2014, the Department of Energy (DOE) issued new efficiency standards that should significantly cut the energy use of a device that uses more power than homeowners might realize.

The device in question: The trusty, reliable furnace fan, which assists in pushing both cooled and heated air throughout a house, but which also eats up more than twice the annual amount of electricity used by the average refrigerator. The DOE’s new standards are expected to reduce the cost to run furnace fans by approximately 40%. The standards should also result in greater comfort.

One reason this is important, reports the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE), is that furnace fans aren’t seen by many consumers as hogging as much power as they actually do. As a result, homeowners can take several steps to cut energy costs – such as installing energy-efficient lightbulbs – and still wind up paying high utility bills, as furnace fan usage can account for roughly 10% of a homeowner’s annual electricity bill.

Consumers wishing to take advantage of utility savings can switch out the motor that is currently used to power their existing furnace fan. By changing over to a motor that meets the DOE’s new standards, homeowners can realize anywhere from $340 to $500 in savings over the life of the furnace fan.

And here’s how the new standards can improve comfort: Fans using motors that fall under the old standards often don’t adequately circulate air throughout the house. Fans manufactured under the new standards will have less of a problem countering resistance to airflow. Also, the new standards are based on the use of multi-stage controls, which many furnaces today do not have. Multi-stage furnaces, unlike their single-stage counterparts, can provide two or more levels of heat generation, which allows the appliance to better meet a consumer’s desired heating temperatures.

The new standards are scheduled to take effect in 2019.