It’s no shocker that California’s putting in all the stops to achieve its 2030 goals of minimizing greenhouse gas emissions. Luckily for you LA residents, you’re the “poster boy” for California’s new local regulations and they’re starting with enforcing the “LOW NOx Furnace requirements” for your home!

Great, what does that actually mean though? 

Here are the Main Questions:

How do these new California furnace requirements affect my heating bills and energy costs per month? And what do these local regulations mean for my house? Why should I care to change my furnace if the one I have is not broken? 

Read on to learn everything you need to know about the new California Low NOx Furance requirements!

What is a Low NOx Furnace? 

To start off, let me get some chemical terms out of the way, (Sounds awful I know…)

NOx: Nitrogen Oxide 

Water: Hydrogen and Oxygen

But, when referencing the chemical compounds that are functioning inside a furnace, NOx is simply used by HVAC technicians to reference both nitrogen oxide and nitrogen dioxide. 

To add to this, a “low NOx furnace” is one that produces a minimal amount of nitrogen dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions. 

These new, low NOx furnaces are now becoming the norm for all SoCal homeowning residents due to local regulations changing with the coming years. 

California’s Grand Challenge:  Zero Emission 2030  

Both the ecosystem and your health are negatively impacted by greenhouse gases. The EPA claims that nitrogen oxides are a factor in global warming, acid rain, smog, respiratory issues, and rising algal levels. 

Currently, around 25% of California’s total greenhouse gas emissions can be attributed to residential buildings. The biggest source of greenhouse gas reductions comes from ceasing on-site natural gas combustion.

On October 1st, 2019, among other monumental environmental regulations, California enacted laws requiring the replacement of traditional residential gas furnaces with low NOx or zero-emission furnaces. 

By doing so, California can begin chipping away at its “grand challenge” of reaching zero emissions by 2030. They are requiring all homeowners in the greater Los Angeles area to join in on the movement and make 25% of a change to the whole challenge!

Conclusion

So, what does all this mean for LA homeowners looking to purchase a new furnace? 

If it’s about time to replace your furnace, then it’s essential you are aware of these new regulations. The main point to remember is that homeowners in LA can only purchase an Ultra-Low-NOx furnace.

First, when furnace shopping ensure you’re looking for the words ultra-low NOx. Many manufacturers found it challenging to develop a furnace with such low fuel emissions and some don’t even produce a compliant unit.

Luckily for you, Aeris Heating and Air Conditioning is a leading partner with high-end Ultra Low and Low NOx furnace systems. 

If you’re interested in purchasing one of our products and getting a special discount with our installation and service membership, please contact us at info@aerisair.com!