Furnace Fans

Energy Conservation Standards for Consumer Furnace Fans

Summary: The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has initiated an effort to consider amending energy conservation standards for furnace fans. Once completed, this rulemaking will fulfill DOE’s statutory obligation to either propose amended energy conservation standards for these products or to determine that the existing standards do not need to be amended. To this end, DOE must determine whether national standards, more stringent than those currently in place, would result in a significant amount of energy savings and whether such amended national standards would be technologically feasible and economically justified. 

Type of Regulation: Energy Conservation Standard

Rulemaking Link: Rulemaking Webpage

Docket ID: EERE-2021-BT-STD-0029

Updates:

• Posted: November 23, 2021 — Request for Information
• Posted: November 1, 2022 — Notification of availability of preliminary technical support document and request for comment
• Posted: October 6, 2023 — Notification of proposed determination and request for comment

AHRI Comments to Previous Stages of Rulemaking:

• December 15, 2021 — Request to extend the public comment period an additional 30 days, from December 23, 2021, to January 22, 2022
• February 14, 2022 — Comment response to the published Request for information
• January 3, 2023 — Comment response to the published Notification of availability of preliminary technical support document and request for comment
• December 5, 2023 — Comment response to the published Notification of proposed determination and request for comment

Test Procedures for Furnace Fans

Summary: The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is amending the test procedure for furnace fans established under the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA), as amended. The effective date for this rule is June 26, 2024. The amendments will be mandatory for product testing starting October 9, 2024.

Type of Regulation: Test Procedure

Rulemaking Link: Rulemaking Webpage

Docket ID: EERE-2020-BT-TP-0041

Updates:

• Posted: July 7, 2021 — Request for Information
• Posted: May 13, 2022 —  Notice of proposed rulemaking and request for comment
• Posted: April 12, 2024 — Final Rule

AHRI Comments to Previous Stages of Rulemaking:

• August 9, 2021 — Comment response to the published Request for information
• July 13, 2022 — Comment response to the published Notification of proposed rulemaking and request for comment

Staff Contact: Laura Petrillo-Groh.

The DOE will begin the next cycle of rulemaking for the energy conservation standards 6 years after publication of the ECS final rule to the Federal Register. The DOE will begin the next cycle of rulemaking for the test procedure 7 years after publication of the test procedure final rule to the Federal Register.

Standard Level

The energy conservation standards for residential furnace are listed in 10 CFR 430.32(y) Table 1. Table 1 shows the ECS for residential furnace fans manufactured on and after July 3, 2019, and having a fan energy rating (FER) value that meets or is less than the following standards:

_{* Furnace fans incorporated into hydronic air handlers, SDHV modular blowers, SDHV electric furnaces, and CAC/HP indoor units are not subject to the standards listed in this table.}

_{** QMax is the airflow, in cfm, at the maximum airflow-control setting measured using the final DOE test procedure at 10 CFR part 430, subpart B, appendix AA.}

Links:

• Final Rule, Federal Register, 79 FR 38129 (July 3, 2014)
• Technical Support Document
• Final Rule; correction, Federal Register, 79 FR 38130 (January 30, 2019)

AHRI Comments to Previous Stages of Rulemaking:

• 2014-01-23 — AHRI Comments in Response to Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NOPR)
• 2013-12-09 — AHRI Request for Extension to NOPR
• 2012-09-10 — AHRI Response to Technical Support Document (TSD)

After a regulatory action has been completed, Executive Order 12866 requires agencies to identify the substantive changes between the draft submitted to Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) for review and the action subsequently announced, and to identify those changes made at the suggestions or recommendation of OIRA.

OIRA Compare Document (coming soon)

To determine that residential furnace fans that are currently manufactured or distributed into commerce are in compliance with DOE standards, manufacturers must follow the test procedure methods specified at Appendix AA to Subpart B of Part 430.

• Final Rule: Test Procedure, Federal Register, 89 FR 25780 (April 12, 2024)
• Docket No. EERE-2020-BT-TP-0041 contains all notices, public comments, public meeting transcripts, and supporting documents.