When you first start looking around for a new air conditioning system, one of the first things you’re likely to come across is the term SEER. This identifies a specific rating for each individual air conditioning unit. We’re going to discuss what SEER is so that you can make a more informed decision about the purchase of your new cooling system.
What Is SEER?
SEER stands for seasonal energy efficiency ratio. This rating helps to describe how much energy a particular system is going to use to operate efficiently throughout the year. The ratio itself is determined by dividing the total cooling output of your system by the total energy it uses for an entire cooling season.
Why Are SEER Ratings Important?
Simply put, SEER ratings are important to help you as a homeowner determine what systems are going to be more energy efficient for your home. The less energy that a system uses throughout the year, the higher its SEER rating is going to be. It’s vital to note that a unit’s SEER rating depicts its maximal efficiency. The unit itself could operate at a lower efficiency depending on numerous other factors, such as if its air filter is dirty.
How to Find an AC Unit’s SEER Rating?
Finding the SEER rating of a particular air conditioning unit isn’t overly difficult if you know where to look. The first and most obvious place is going to be on the yellow sticker that’s put on the front of the unit, which is known as the Energy Guide sticker. If you don’t have that sticker, another little piece of paper may be attached to the air handler that will reveal its SEER rating.
If there is no paper attached to the air conditioning system, there are two other ways to determine its SEER rating. The first is to locate the model and serial number of the unit and look it up online. The second is to identify the model number. It’s very common for cooling system manufacturers to put the SEER rating in the model number. For example, the AC system’s model number may be V20I, which translates to a 20 SEER rating.
Minimal SEER Standards
Air conditioning systems produced just 10 to 15 years ago had a typical SEER rating of around 8 to 10. Modern-day air conditioning systems have SEER ratings ranging from 13 all the way up to 22 or more. There’s no doubt that modern-day air conditioners are much more energy efficient than those made just a decade ago.
As part of the federal government’s effort to reduce wasteful energy consumption, the U.S. Department of Energy has set minimum SEER standards that all manufacturers must meet. As of 2023, the minimum SEER rating for central air conditioning systems is 14 in the northern part of the country and 15 in the southern part of the country.
The Various Benefits of a High SEER AC System
When searching for a new air conditioning system for your home, it’s important to consider SEER ratings. While you may want to get a unit with the highest SEER rating available to you, it’s important to keep in mind that units get more expensive as their ratings go up. So, you’ll need to determine what is the best rating to match your individual budget.
Probably the most obvious benefit of getting an air conditioning system with a high SEER rating is that it will save you a good amount of money on your summertime cooling bills. This also goes a long way in reducing your carbon footprint and being more environmentally friendly. These higher-rated AC systems can also make you eligible to receive tax incentives from the federal, state, and local governments.
What SEER Rating Should Your New AC Unit Have?
While there isn’t necessarily one answer to this question, it can be helpful to learn that most homeowners opt for cooling systems with a SEER rating between 15 and 18. This tends to strike a good balance between affordability and overall efficiency. However, if you don’t mind investing more money upfront for a higher efficiency system, you can enjoy reaping the long-term energy savings of a new AC system with a SEER rating between 17 and 20.
Expert AC Installation Services
Top Air Heating & A/C provides expert AC installation services for the whole West Covina, CA community. We’ll happily assist with all your cooling, heating, indoor air quality, ductwork, heat pump, ductless mini-split, and insulation needs. Contact us today to schedule your next service consultation.
