What is SEER Rating, and why should you care?
Maybe you saw the words SEER Rating in your AC Unit and wondered what’s the meaning of it.
SEER is the acronym for “Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio” and is the way to measure the energy efficiency of central air conditioners.
The SEER rating is the best way for you to save money and at the same time help the environment. The lower the rating is the harder your AC Unit has to work making you not just spend more but also making the lifecycle of the equipment shorter.
You may also have heard about “EER” and at this point, you must be confused. The “EER” is the efficiency of an AC at perfect conditions (95°F) while SEER is the performance efficiency during the whole summer season with a range of temperatures from 65°F to 104°F.
SEER rating is the best way for you to save money…
What is a good SEER rating?
A SEER 16 is a good rating, anything above that is optimal and great (SEER 18 – SEER 20) There’s a regulation in place that guarantees that all new AC systems have a Rating of at least 13 or 14. Starting in 2023 all units will have a SEER rating of at least 14.
An AC System with a higher SEER translates into a more comfortable summer season, especially if you live in the Southeast or Southwest region of the Country. Newer and higher SEER units have two components to provide indoor comfort:
- 2-stage or variable-speed compressor
- Variable speed blower
The ones with the lower Rating are single-stage and run only at one speed. This means they’ll turn on and off more frequently. When that happens, contrary to what is commonly believed, electricity consumption increases because the start of each cycle consumes large amounts of energy.
Also, you can experience higher humidity levels making it feel hotter than it really is and raising chances of allergies.
Be Cool. Be Green. Be Healthy.
