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 Direct Heating Equipment

    Summary: The Department of Energy (DOE) is initiating an effort to determine whether to amend the current energy conservation standards for direct heating equipment. Under the Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975, as amended (EPCA), DOE must periodically review these standards and publish either a notice of proposed rulemaking (NOPR) to propose new standards for direct heating equipment or a notice of determination that the existing standards do not need to be amended.

    Type of Regulation: Energy Conservation

    Rulemaking Link: Rulemaking Webpage

    Docket ID: EERE-2019-BT-STD-0002

    UPDATES:

    Comment Period Close Date: Closed

    Where to Comment: EERE-2019-BT-STD-0002

    AHRI Comments to Previous Stages of Rulemaking:

    • 2019-04-12 — Comment response to the published Request for Information

    Staff Contact: Laura Petrillo-Groh

     


    Energy Conservation Test Procedure for Direct Heating Equipment

    Summary: The Department of Energy (DOE) is initiating a data collection process through this request for information (RFI) to consider whether to amend DOE's test procedure for direct heating equipment.

    Type of Regulation: Test Procedure

    Rulemaking Link: Rulemaking Webpage

    Docket ID: EERE-2019-BT-TP-0003

    UPDATES:

    Comment Period Close Date: Closed

    Where to Comment: EERE-2019-BT-TP-0003

    AHRI Comments to Previous Stages of Rulemaking:

    • 2019-04-12 — Comment response to the published Request for Information

    Staff Contact: Laura Petrillo-Groh

    N/A

    Current Standard:

    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).

    Standards for direct heating equipment apply to vented wall furnaces, vented floor furnaces, vented room heaters, and vented hearth heaters listed in the tables below.

    Table 1. Energy Conservation Standards for Direct Heating Equipment Manufactured After January 1, 1990 and before April 16, 2013

    Product Class

    Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency Jan. 1, 1990 (percent)

    1. Gas wall fan type up to 42,000 Btu/hour

    73

    2. Gas wall fan type over 42,000 Btu/hour

    74

    3. Gas wall gravity type up to 10,000 Btu/hour

    59

    4. Gas wall gravity type over 10,000 Btu/hour up to 12,000 Btu/hour

    60

    5. Gas wall gravity type over 12,000 Btu/hour up to 15,000 Btu/hour

    61

    6. Gas wall gravity type over 15,000 Btu/hour up to 19,000 Btu/hour

    62

    7. Gas wall gravity type over 19,000 Btu/hour up to 27,000 Btu/hour

    63

    8. Gas wall gravity type over 27,000 Btu/hour up to 46,000 Btu/hour

    64

    9. Gas wall gravity type over 46,000 Btu/hour

    56

    10. Gas floor up to 37,000 Btu/hour

    56

    11. Gas floor over 37,000 Btu/hour

    57

    12. Gas room up to 18,000 Btu/hour

    57

    13. Gas room over 18,000 Btu/hour up to 20,000 Btu/hour

    58

    14. Gas room over 20,000 Btu/hour up to 27,000 Btu/hour

    63

    15. Gas room over 27,000 Btu/hour up to 46,000 Btu/hour

    64

    16. Gas room over 46,000 Btu/hour

    65

     

    Final Rule: Standards. See the Federal Register at 54 FR 6077 (Feb. 7, 1989) and 55 FR 42163 (Oct. 17, 1990). These editions are not available online.

    Amended Standard

    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.
     

    Table 2. Energy Conservation Standards for Direct Heating Equipment Manufactured On and After April 16, 2013

    Product Class

    Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency, April 16, 2013 (percent)

    1. Gas wall fan type up to 42,000 Btu/hour

    75

    2. Gas wall fan type over 42,000 Btu/hour

    76

    3. Gas wall gravity type up to 27,000 Btu/hour

    65

    4. Gas wall gravity type over 27,000 Btu/h up to 46,000 Btu/h

    66

    5. Gas wall gravity type over 46,000 Btu/hour

    67

    6. Gas floor up to 37,000 Btu/hour

    57

    7. Gas floor over 37,000 Btu/hour

    58

    8. Gas room up to 20,000 Btu/h

    61

    9. Gas room over 20,000 Btu/h up to 27,000 Btu/h

    33

    10. Gas room over 27,000 Btu/h up to 46,000 Btu/h

    67

    11. Gas room over 46,000 Btu/hour

    68

    12. Gas hearth up to 20,000 Btu/h

    61

    13. Gas hearth over 20,000 Btu/h and up to 27,000 Btu/h

    66

    14. Gas hearth over 27,000 Btu/h and up to 46,000 Btu/h

    67

    15. Gas hearth over 46,000 Btu/h

    68

     

    Links:

    AHRI comments to rulemaking:

    For further guidance or to submit questions related to the implementation of this standard, visit the Guidance and Frequently Asked Questions page.

    To determine compliance with DOE standards, manufacturers must follow the test procedures specified at 10 CFR 430.23(g) for unvented direct heating equipment and at 10 CFR 430.23(o) for vented direct heating equipment. The methods to conduct the test procedure are further specified in 10 CFR Part 430 Appendix G to Subpart B for unvented direct heating equipment and 10 CFR Part 430 Appendix O to Subpart B.

    AHRI comments to rulemaking:

    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 [email protected] for more information.

    More Information:

    N/A