If the little guys can reach 13-SEER minimums, then so can the big guys.
I just received a news release that claims two of our industry's residential/light-commercial HVAC manufacturing companies are swimming against the industry flow and calling for 13-SEER air-conditioning minimum efficiencies, as opposed to the 12-SEER minimum the other major manufacturers and the Bush administration have been calling for (see story on page 19). Hurray for them! I get so tired of all the foot dragging and belly-aching of companies that hate to do anything right without being absolutely forced to. And if Goodman (one of the industry's lowest-cost manufacturers) and Goettl (one of the industry's smallest manufacturers) think they can do it, then I'm sure that Carrier, Trane, Lennox, Rheem, York and all the rest can easily meet these minimums.
Why, just think of the potential business that can be generated by this extra-high efficiency jump, which was first proposed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. We're talking a 30% improvement in efficiency over the current minimum. Now, take an old 10-SEER unit that was manufactured 10 years or more ago, deduct 20% efficiency for coil aging (a close approximate), which brings the efficiency of the old stuff to 8 SEER, and there is a 40% energy savings for the customer! Depending on where you're located, that can mean less than a five-year payback! Quite a story. Who wouldn't support this in a time when energy prices are on the rise?