High efficiency is seems to be the main focus when installing new HVAC systems these days. Everyone says to look for high SEER, EER, and AFUE ratings, but what are these ratings? I know that generally speaking, higher rated systems are best, but I don’t want to just blindly buy a system because it has a high AFUE rating, and neither should you! So here is an explanation of what each rating means.
AFUE – This stands for Annual Fuel Usage Efficiency and it measures the percentage of heat produced for every dollar of fuel consumed. The current minimum AFUE rating is 78%.
SEER – Season Energy Efficiency Ratio measures the efficiency of your air conditioner by taking into account the amount of electricity your system uses. Systems that use less electricity have higher SEER ratings. Today’s systems have ratings of 13-18.
HSPF – Heating Seasonal Performance Factor is SEER for your heat pump. The current minimum HSPF rating is 7.7.
EER – The Energy Efficiency Ratio is a little more difficult to understand. It measures the instantaneous energy efficiency of cooling equipment. EER is calculated by taking the cooling capacity of your system and dividing it by the amount if energy it takes the system to run.
Still have questions? Your local AC Doctor certified contractor would love to answer them.
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