The federal efficiency floor in Kansas
Kansas is in the Department of Energy's North region, where split-system central air conditioners installed on or after January 1, 2023 must be rated at least 13.4 SEER2, and split-system heat pumps at least 14.3 SEER2 and 7.5 HSPF2.
If a quote includes a new air conditioner or heat pump, ask for the rating of the exact outdoor and indoor combination being proposed, SEER2 for cooling and, on a heat pump, HSPF2 for heating, and where that combination's rating is listed.
How this list runs
The year here is split into blocks of months, starting in March. Each block has two parts: tasks you can do at home, and items to ask for when a technician comes out. Write the date beside anything you finish.
Before touching anything
- Set the thermostat to off, then switch off power at the service switch beside the indoor equipment and at the outdoor disconnect.
- Leave refrigerant fittings, gas valves and wiring inside the cabinets to a technician.
- Press the test button on each smoke and carbon monoxide alarm.
March to May: readying to cool
At home
- Take any cover off the outdoor unit and clear leaves and twigs from around the cabinet.
- Trim shrubs back to the clearance listed in the owner's manual.
- Look at the filter, and change it if it looks loaded with dust. Write the date on the frame.
- Find where the condensate drain ends, outside, at a floor drain or at a small pump, and make sure the opening is clear.
- On the first warm day, run a cooling cycle and listen for anything new.
On the service ticket
- Cleaning of the outdoor coil and a look at the indoor coil.
- Refrigerant readings, written down.
- A check of electrical connections and the capacitor.
- Flushing of the condensate drain.
June to August: the cooling months
At home
- Check the filter now and then, and change it when it looks dirty.
- Keep supply registers open and return grilles clear of furniture and rugs.
- Point the mower so clippings blow away from the outdoor unit.
- If you see ice on the larger copper line or water around the indoor unit, turn the system off and call.
- Note any room that stays warm, with the time and the thermostat reading.
On the service ticket
- Any room-by-room complaint you noted.
- A system that starts and stops every few minutes, or blows air that never feels cool.
September to November: readying to heat
At home
- Change the filter and vacuum dust from return grilles.
- Clear stored boxes, paint and cleaning products away from the furnace or air handler.
- If the furnace vents through plastic pipes in a side wall, make sure both openings are clear of leaves and nests.
- Run the heat once before you need it, so a problem shows up early. A dusty smell on the first run can be normal; a smell that lingers is worth a call.
On the service ticket
- Furnace: burners and flame, ignition parts, a look at the heat exchanger, the flue connection, and written combustion and carbon monoxide readings.
- Heat pump: the defrost controls, the backup heat and the switch between heating and cooling.
December to February: the heating months
At home
- Keep side-wall vent openings and the space around a heat pump free of anything piled against them.
- A heat pump may pause now and then and send up a cloud of vapor while it defrosts. Ice that stays on the coil is a reason to call.
- If the thermostat shows auxiliary or emergency heat often, write down the dates.
- If a whole-house humidifier is attached to the furnace, follow its maker's instructions for the pad and water line.
On the service ticket
- Anything you logged during the heating months.
Signs to stop and call
- If you smell gas, leave the house and call the gas company from outside.
- If a carbon monoxide alarm sounds, get everyone outside first, then call.
- A breaker that trips again after a reset.
- A burning smell, or soot near the furnace.
- Water pooling under the indoor equipment.
When replacement comes up
Ask every company quoting new equipment for a room-by-room load calculation, full model numbers for each piece, and duct work priced on its own lines. Then ask:
- What state license or registration, if any, covers this work, and what is the number?
- Which city permits does the job need, and who pulls them?
- Can you send proof of liability coverage and workers' compensation?
The equipment notebook
Keep a notebook near the furnace or a note on your phone. Put the model and serial numbers of each piece of equipment and the filter size on the first page. Then log filter changes, each service visit with the date and the technician's name, readings taken, parts replaced and any refrigerant added.