If you are currently in the market shopping for the right heating or air conditioning system for your house or business, there is a big chance that you have encountered the term “AHRI-certified” during your search. But, what is an AHRI certificate system in the first place?
AHRI is an acronym that stands for Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute. Basically, the Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute is a union made up of the manufacturers of cooling and heating products.
The union advocates quality as they develop the standards that should be met by such products and they also make sure that all those products will meet the said standards. This means that buying a product that is AHRI-certified, gives you the assurance and peace of mind knowing that you will be getting an item that has met the strict requirements to the highest quality possible.
AHRI or Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute are well-known as the foremost authority when it comes to ratings of efficiency in today’s HVAC industry. The union offers AHRI Certification through their stringent manufacturing reporting and testing to provide both HVAC contractors and consumers a reliable and helpful insight into an HVAC system and its performance.
AHRI certification – what is it?
If a particular HVAC unit comes with an AHRI Certification, it practically means that you can count on it to perform and function according to the set specifications of the manufacturer. This indicates that the system has undergone industry-standard and intense testing so companies can recommend it with confidence to their customers and customers can make a purchase with a better sense of assurance. The main purpose of AHRI ratings is not just to guarantee dependability and efficiency but at the same time, to provide consumers the real efficiency rating of an entire HVAC system.
Trying to manually average out the individual AFUE, EER and SEER ratings of every piece of equipment in a matched system won’t always reveal the actual efficiency that the system can achieve. Thanks to AHRI ratings, you will be able to check the change in the overall efficiency of the entire system when you upgrade your heat pump, use an alternate AC unit, or install a different furnace. Remember that for the AHRI rating to be considered accurate, this should contain all the required parts and matched equipment in the AHRI number.
What does an AHRI-certified system mean?
As stated earlier, AHRI is the trade association that represents manufacturers of cooling, heating, commercial refrigeration, and water heating equipment. A globally recognized advocate for the HVAC industry, AHRI certifies the performance and develops standards of many products.
When it comes to heat pumps or air conditioners, the AHRI-certified system basically confirms the overall performance ratings of particular combinations of the indoor unit, outdoor unit, and/furnace that the AHRI Directory of Certified Product Performance has listed.
The voluntary certification programs of AHRI carry out third-party laboratory testing for confirming the performance ratings. Those ratings that are associated with the combination are then certified and this is in the form of the AHRI Certificate of Product Ratings.
AHRI certification – why does it matter?
Simply put, AHRI ratings help and provide you with an unbiased means of comparing several HVAC units. The AHRI Certification is an indication that the system you will be installing in your home is really as great as this claims to be.
It has been proven that the products that come with the AHRI Certification tend to sell much more often. These are also guaranteed to adhere to all the standards set by the industry in addition to the requirements of the government and Energy Company. If you are looking for the best HVAC system you should get, it is a must to check and look for the AHRI Certification for your peace of mind.
AHRI certification – what are its general benefits?
If a particular product comes with an AHRI-certification, it only means that you could expect to get only the best product that you can find in the market. The product must be energy efficient and quiet to let you enjoy the perks of uninterrupted service that a well-oiled machine that it has to offer. If the unit suddenly stops functioning for one reason or another, HVAC professionals will be able to get it up and running all over again right away.
On the other hand, you can also take advantage of AHRI-certified products if you are a business. Are you using transport refrigeration for carrying perishable items to individual shops from a warehouse? Are you using a boiler to keep your business warm and cozy? Does your business rely on a hot water heater? These products should always run in tiptop shape for you and all your customers to be happy and satisfied. The use of AHRI-certified products will ensure flawless and foolproof service.
The benefits of AHRI certification for companies
While customers like you can definitely benefit from AHRI certification, this can also benefit those companies that comply with all the industry standards. Before anything else, it can reduce the chances that there will only be one company that will have a total monopoly of a particular industry since everyone is being expected to come up with the same products that have the same levels of high quality.
The second reason is that those companies that abide by the standards set by AHRI also foster and encourage trust in their own customers. These customers will then continue buying from the company. This is because they have the confidence that the company really cares about their customers by offering them only the best of the best products that the industry has to offer.
AHRI-certified products – common examples
The truth is that there are all types of cooling and heating products that can come with an AHRI-certification for both businesses and residences. The following are just some of the numerous products that could be AHRI-certified:
- Automatic commercial ice makers
- Commercial and residential boilers, water heaters, and boilers
- Direct heating
- Indoor pool dehumidifiers
- Transport refrigeration
- Unit coolers
The AHRI product performance certification program for product makers and manufacturers
The industry-respected and internationally recognized certification program of AHRI helps component and equipment manufacturers to win bids, sell more products, comply with the requirements of the government, and set themselves apart from competitors.
Once the specifiers and the other key decision-makers see the AHRI Certified mark on the equipment, this will give them the assurance that the equipment will be able to perform in an accurate and consistent way that will then help the makers win more bids.
The following are the main purposes of the AHRI Product Performance Certification Program:
- Give buyers the assurance that manufacturers develop products that have constantly valid ratings to enhance the confidence of buyers in the performance of the products of the participating manufacturer and discourage the marketing of those products that have invalid ratings;
- Promote fair market competition;
- Facilitate the applicable tax rebates and credits;
- Facilitate the compliance to different federal and state efficiency regulations;
- Maintain certification driven by the industry;
- Meet reporting and verification requirements driven by the federal and state government regulations; and
- Act as the accredited CB or Certification Body to the participants for the compliance with the ENERGY STAR Qualification.
AHRI product performance certification program and its benefits
Below is the benefits of the AHRI Product Performance Certification Program:
- It increases the confidence of consumers. This independent testing will verify that the product is going to function as claimed by the manufacturer.
- This facilitates compliance with the reporting requirements and ENERGY STAR verification of EPA.
- It helps maintain the integrity in today’s HVACR industry.
- This offers manufacturers a level playing field. All the competing products undergo testing and rating to the specification or standard.
- This provides the consumers with apples-to-apples and reliable comparison of equipment that they are planning to buy.
- This offers the basis for government and private business cooperation. Most AHRI-certified products are under the regulation of the government and the AHRI certification might facilitate compliance to the minimum efficiency standards that include some that were set by the foreign governments.
- It is recognized all over the world.
How to use AHRI certification to find the best system for your new house
If you are already starting to build a new house, there are many important decisions that you need to make. One of the biggest ones is picking your indoor comfort system. As a way of helping consumers with their decision-making process, AHRI offers some guidelines to ensure that all home builders will settle for the perfect option that suits their homes.
The best of the best systems are those that have an efficient operation with the least energy consumption to lower your electricity bills. Systems of this kind offer dependable and steady performance for several years when properly sized for the house, correctly matched, properly installed, and habitually maintained.
A good system is long-lasting, quiet, and has lower needs for service. These systems have also been performance certified. Heat pumps and central air conditioners that have been performance certified carry the AHRI Performance Certified mark. These are also listed in the AHRI Directory of Certified Product Performance.
The heating equipment like hydronic equipment, water heaters, boilers, and furnaces bear either I=B=R or GAMA Efficiency Rating Certified marks and are also listed at AHRI Directory of Certified Product Performance. Such marks give you the assurance of an independent third party that has verified and tested the efficiency claims of the manufacturer.
How to establish the suitable AHRI certified system for your house or office
To put it simply, the best system setups are the ones that make use of the lowest amount of electricity possible. It is good news not only for your own wallet but also for the environment as a whole.
Good systems are those that can give you long years of reliable performance. The installer will also properly size the system for your office or home to give the peace of mind knowing that the system doesn’t need to work overtime just to cater to your specific needs.
Basically, a good system can be defined as something that bears the following characteristics:
- Dependable
- Long lasting
- Low maintenance
- Performance-certified
- Quiet
- Steady
If the system satisfies all of the above requirements, you can be sure that the manufacturer was able to test the system and verify that it adheres to the industry standards to provide you with the best and highest level of performance possible.
It is a must to ensure that you choose a properly matched system
Making sure that your system is correctly matched is the number one secret for you to make the most out of AHRI-certified products. For instance, if you are using one piece of equipment that has been AHRI-certified then you use it together with a different product that doesn’t have an AHRI certification, it prevents you from making the most out of your system’s overall efficiency.
The best and easiest way for you to know if you got a properly matched system is to ask for the AHRI reference number from the installer. It is also possible for you to get what is known as the AHRI Certificate of Certified Product Performance. For example, if you are trying to set up a central air system, you can try comparing the certificate to the reference number to be sure that AHRI has already matched the system.
And with a few setups, you can also secure a rebate either from the town or city officials or from your utility company by providing the certificate to prove that your setup is truly energy efficient.
The Bottom Line
By going for an AHRI certified system, you will know that you can get the best value for your money as it ensures that you can get only the top quality products available.
