Understanding SEER Rating for HVAC Systems

By Ideal Conditions | July 15, 2019

SEER ratingsIf you’ve been on the lookout for a new HVAC unit for your home, then no doubt you will have noticed that all systems that you have seen come with a SEER rating. You may have even gone as far as learning that SEER stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Rate, but what does that actually mean?

An HVAC Unit’s SEER Rating is a measure of its annual efficiency

The SEER Rating was created and defined by the AHRI (Air Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute) in 2008. It is calculated by dividing the cooling output observed during a typical cooling season by the total electric energy input, during the same timeframe.

This means that the higher the SEER Rating, the less energy your HVAC Unit will use to cool your home. All HVAC Units that are manufactured today must be made with SEER ratings of at least 14.5 if they wish to earn an Energy State rating.

Examples of the SEER rating of different types of AC Units

  • Ductless air conditioners, high-efficiency systems – 25 or higher.
  • Central air conditioners (US national requirement) – 13.
  • Window AC Units (exempt from SEER minimum efficiency requirements) – 10.

If I buy an HVAC Unit with a very high SEER rating, will it end up paying for itself?

There is no doubt that if you purchase an AC Unit that has a very high SEER rating you will cut down significantly on your monthly air conditioning bills. The problem is, it is unlikely that the savings that you make will be enough to completely cover the initial purchase.

For example, if you purchase an HVAC Unit with a SEER rating of 21, then you can expect to pay around $4,000 – $5,000. If the unit lasts a decade before it needs replacing, you would need to save over $30 a month in energy bills in order to completely recoup that initial expenditure. That’s not likely to happen.

The solution is to find a happy medium – purchase the type of HVAC Unit with a decent SEER rating that you can afford. You may not totally recoup your money, but you will at least save money every month when the time comes to pay the bills, especially when compared to your older less efficient HVAC system.

For the best in all types of air conditioning, plumbing, roofing and general contracting services, please contact us here at Ideal Conditions. We have the skills and knowledge that you need to sort out whatever issue you may be encountering. Just call us at (904) 379-8762, or use the online contact form that’s available on our website.

 

Posted in Air Conditioning