Why Air Conditioner SEER Ratings Are Important

If you are trying to learn how to size your dehumidifier, your ventilation system and your heating and air conditioning unit, you want to do some basic math. The same goes if you are trying to find out what the efficiency of a certain HVAC system is. Air conditioning systems, for instance, use a SEER rating. This is simply a ratio equation that will tell you what systems are more efficient than others. As global warming becomes more and more of a threat, the government stepped up and made the SEER rating a mandatory part of air conditioning manufacturing and buying process. Here is why air conditioner SEER ratings are so important.

SEER stands for ‘Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio.’ The ratio is calculated by taking the total energy that an air conditioning system uses during the course of a season versus the total cooling output. The ratio is usually calculated by testing a particular air conditioning unit before it hits the market – the cooling power is simply divided by the energy it took to provide that cooling power. This system was developed as a standard, so that consumers can know how energy efficient a certain system is. Basically, the higher the SEER rating, the more efficient a certain unit is.

A SEER rating is important because it will let you know how energy efficient a particular system is, but it is will also give you a hint as to how much more you will be spending on energy to cool your home. With older units, air conditioning is expensive, so if you want to save money on utility expenses, you probably want to go with a system that has a higher rating. Of course, units with a higher SEER rating are more expensive, but just know that you will usually make your money back by the money you save on your energy bills, which means that investing in an air conditioner with a high SEER rating is a great investment.

Another reason why a SEER rating is so important is because it will let you know how big of a unit you should purchase for your space. A SEER rating will let you know how many BTUs of energy a certain system puts out, which is critical if you are trying to find a system that will fit in your home. In some cases, an air conditioner that emits too many BTUs of energy for the space you live in can have a negative impact. Ideally, you want to measure the square footage of your home and then match that to the SEER rating – it will make looking for a new air conditioning system so much easier.

Lastly, the SEER rating of an air conditioning system is vital for a number reasons. Mainly, though, the SEER rating is a great way to educate people on how important energy efficiency is. The rating is also a great way to know if a certain system will be right for your home. No matter what, though, when you are out looking for a new AC system, be sure to ask about energy efficiency, because it may be the deciding factor in your decision to buy a certain system.