If you live in the Apple Valley or Victorville area, Elite Climate Control can help you make a smart purchase when the time comes to buy a new air conditioner. This includes offering advice when it comes to SEER ratings, an important metric used to rate AC units across the United States.
What are SEER Ratings?
SEER stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio, an important ratio established by the Department of Energy to help businesses and homeowners judge how effective a particular HVAC unit is. The ratio is created by comparing the energy use of a particular unit model for one full season to how well that unit performs. In other words, how effectively the unit cools air for the power it uses.
This creates a basic number system so that you can tell at a glance how energy efficient any particular model is. The federal government occasionally updates requirements for SEER ratings on air conditioners to improve overall energy efficiency in the market. Now, only 13 SEER HVAC systems are allowed to be sold (14 SEER for Energy Star models). If your SEER rating is lower than this, then you could see significant improvements in monthly bills by purchasing a new system.
SEER versus EER
Another rating system that you often see used when comparing units is EER. This is NOT the same as SEER, despite the similarity in the acronyms. EER stands for Energy Efficiency Ratio and is an older method of judging efficiency. The missing “seasonal” means that EER only tells you general cooling capacity compared to electricity use. It does not study efficiency over an entire season, which is why the numbers can differ.
Because the SEER is used by the government, it tends to have priority. Since the results are spread out over an entire “season” of operation, it may give a better look at how a system operates over time.
How to Use SEER When Purchasing Air Conditioning?
SEER numbers are easy to use because it’s simply one number that can compare any unit from any brand when you are looking for a new system. However, don’t put too much stock in a small change. Upgrading from 15 SEER to 16 SEER won’t produce a sudden decrease in monthly costs, but will require you to buy a new, more expensive system. Moving from 10 SEER to 16 SEER, however, is likely to provide much higher savings, making it a more worthwhile purchase. Other factors, like scheduled maintenance, also play an important role in efficiency. Ask the professionals at Elite Climate Control for more information.
