Direct Heating Equipment
Department of Energy
The Department of Energy (DOE) has regulated the energy efficiency level of residential direct heating equipment since 1987. Residential direct heating equipment includes vented wall furnaces, vented floor furnaces, vented room heaters, and vented hearth heaters that can provide space heating in residences. Direct heating equipment uses gas and is installed in the room that it is intended to heat; the equipment heats air and distributes the warmed air directly to the room. Common names for this equipment include space heaters, wall heaters, floor heaters, hearth heaters, and room heaters.
Energy Conservation Standards for Hearth Heaters as a class of Direct Heating Equipment
Summary: The U.S. Department of Energy (“DOE”) is initiating an effort to evaluate whether to establish energy conservation standards for a category of direct heating equipment (“DHE”), specifically consumer hearth heaters. This request for information (“RFI”) solicits information from the public to help DOE determine whether potential standards for consumer hearth heaters would result in significant energy savings and whether such standards would be technologically feasible and economically justified. DOE welcomes written comments from the public on any subject within the scope of this document (including topics not specifically raised), as well as the submission of data and other relevant information.
Type of Regulation: Energy Conservation
Rulemaking Link: Rulemaking Webpage
Docket ID: EERE-2022-BT-STD-0018-0010
UPDATES:
- Posted: June 16, 2022 — Request for Information
Comment Period Close Date: Closed
Where to Comment: EERE-2019-BT-STD-0002
AHRI Comments to Previous Stages of Rulemaking:
- July 18, 2022 — Comment response to the published Request for Information
Staff Contact: Laura Petrillo-Groh
The Department of Energy (DOE) last amended the test procedures for unvented direct heating equipment on December 17, 2012, and vented direct heating equipment on January 6, 2015. DOE made a final determination not to amend the energy conservation standards for direct heating equipment on November 23, 2021
The annual fuel utilization efficiency of vented home heating equipment, manufactured and distributed in commerce, as defined by 42 U.S.C. 6291(10) and (16) respectively, must be not less than the energy conservation standards under 10 CFR 430.32(i).
References:
- Final Rule: Standards, Federal Register, 80 FR 28928 (July 17, 2015)
- Final Rule: Standards, Federal Register, 77 FR 28928 (May 16, 2012)
- Technical Support Document
- Docket No. EERE-2011-BT-STD-0029 contains all notices, public comments, public meeting transcripts, and supporting documents.
Direct heating equipment manufactured and distributed in commerce, as defined by 42 U.S.C. 6291 (16), must meet the energy conservation standards specified in the Code of Federal Regulations, 10 CFR 430.32(i)(1).
On April 16, 2010, amended standards were published for direct heating equipment. The full text of the amended standard is available in the Code of Federal Regulations, 10 CFR 430.32(i)(2). These amended standards will establish new product classes and energy conservation standards for direct heating equipment, as summarized in the table below. Compliance with these new standards will be required on April 16, 2013.
Links:
- Final Determination, Federal Register, 81 FR 71325 (October 17, 2016)
- Docket No. EERE-2016-BT-STD-0007 — for direct heating only
- Docket No. EERE-2015-BT-STD-0003 — for direct heating and pool heaters
- Final Rule Amending Definition of "Vented Hearth Heater", Federal Register, 76 FR 71836 (Nov. 18, 2011)
- Docket No. EERE-2011-BT-STD-0047
- Correction to the Final Rule, Federal Register, 75 FR 21981 (April 27, 2010)
- Final Rule: Standards, Federal Register, 75 FR 20112 (April 16, 2010)
- Technical Support Document
- Docket No. EE-2006-BT-STD-0129 contains all notices, public comments, public meeting transcripts, and supporting documents.
AHRI comments to rulemaking:
- AHRI Comment Response to NOPD (June 10, 2016)
- Comment Response to the Published Notice of Data Availability (NODA) (December 10, 2015)
For further guidance or to submit questions related to the implementation of this standard, visit the Guidance and Frequently Asked Questions page.
EPA ENERGY STAR
Not currently an Energy Star certified product.
Current Product Specifications:
N/A
In Development:
N/A
Applying for Energy Star:
To qualify a new product, contact an EPA-recognized Certification Body (CB) to have the product's performance certified. A list of EPA-recognized CBs, as well as an overview of EPA's third-party certification procedures, is available at Third-Party Certification. AHRI is an EPA-Recognized CB. Email AHRICert_EnergyStar@ahrinet.org for more information.
More Information:
N/A