The Truth About SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio)
Home >
So, you’re getting a new air conditioning system, and your comfort specialist has told you all about these high efficiency systems that are going to increase your comfort and drastically reduce your energy bills. Even if your air conditioner is only 10 years old, you may save 20% to 40% of your cooling energy costs by replacing it with a newer, more efficient model.
You’re excited, you’ve selected the best company and system for your home, and you’re all set to get your high-tech 16 or 18 SEER system (or higher) installed … but then you look at the yellow tag on your condenser and find that the SEER rating of the system you bought doesn’t quite reach the rating advertised.
Why is your system only going to reach, say, 15.2 SEER, when you purchased a 16 SEER system? Is your contractor trying to pull a fast one?
We get this question all the time, and there’s a very simple explanation, but first let’s quickly review what SEER means. SEER stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio. It’s a way to measure the efficiency of an air conditioning system; it’s like the gas mileage in your car. In a nutshell, SEER tells us how much energy is used to provide a specific cooling output. Many older systems have SEER ratings of 8 or less … which means that today’s best air conditioners use 30% to 50% less energy to produce the same amount of cooling as air conditioners made in the mid-1980s.
Current SEER Standards per the Department of Energy
Now let’s talk about why your system performance might not match the SEER rating on your paperwork.
The way you drive, how often you change your oil, the air pressure in your tires, and how often your car is tuned up all affect the Miles Per Gallon you’ll get from your vehicle. Your comfort system works the same way.
Just like car manufacturers, who determine the Miles Per Gallon ratings of their vehicles under controlled testing conditions, air conditioning manufacturers also categorize their systems based on achieved SEER ratings under controlled testing conditions. Once a certain size in a model line of air conditioning equipment has been proven to reach a certain SEER rating under these testing conditions, the entire model line can now be classified as 16 SEER, or 18 SEER, or whatever rating was achieved.
This is why air conditioning manufacturers typically use the words “up to” when defining SEER ratings. They have one or two combinations and sizes of equipment in that model line that reached the optimal SEER rating under those testing conditions, while the other sizes may not achieve those top ratings.
It’s useful to note here that an Energy Star rating is a minimum efficiency rating, as opposed to a SEER rating, which is a maximum efficiency rating. This means that all systems with a certain Energy Star rating will achieve this minimum advertised output in the field.
The type of fan coil, or the furnace that your air conditioner is attached to, will also impact your system’s efficiency once installed in your home. For example, a condenser attached to a system not using an ECM blower motor will use more energy, will cost more money to operate, and will not achieve its advertised SEER rating.
With your air conditioning system, how high or low you set your thermostat, how regularly you change your air filters, and whether you have a professional technician perform annual maintenance (you do get annual maintenance, right?) will all drastically impact the efficiency of your system … and your wallet.
The air supply ductwork that is attached to your system also impacts your system’s efficiency. The air ducts in your home are like the arteries in your body. They distribute the right amount of air to the correct locations. With restricted arteries, or leaky ductwork, the health of your systems are put in jeopardy.
So, while shopping for your new AC system, bear in mind that while a high SEER rating may be the prime factor to maximizing efficiency and comfort, it’s not the only factor.
Be sure to consider your home’s insulation, and most especially its duct work, into your buying decision. After all, since average duct work leakage ranges from 25% to 40%, that means that 25 to 40 cents of every dollar you spend on cooling and heating is going out the window. Yikes!
For a more in-depth look at SEER, check out SEER: The Term Every Homeowner Should Know.
Sources:
https://inspectapedia.com/aircond/SEER_Ratings_Definitions.php
CONTACT US TODAY
I thought Derek was polite. Courteous knew what he was doing. Got my furnace fixed in one day. I was very appreciative and because of his service I will now only use you guys going forward. He’s a great technician.
I'm always impressed when a service provider takes the time to educate me about the product I bought. Eddie explained the protocols for maintaining my mini-splits
, provided me with the knowledge that he brought to the inspection and showed me how to improve the longevity of the product. In the process he convinced me to extend my service.
Good job -
Eric, our Sanford tech, did wonderful as always. maintaining our beast of a heating system takes skill. He is prompt and kind gets the maintenance taken care of quickly. He doesn’t mind the annoying dogs or the beam that you have to duck under going up and down stairs.
They check in the day before coming and Eric texts when on the way. He is always on time. We have been very happy with the work and the professionalism.
This was my first time using Sanford. Derek was amazing. He diagnosed the problem quickly, showed me the problem, and then quoted me a price which was very reasonable. He had the part on the truck and had the problem fixed within a half hour. From the person I made the appointment with, Irish, to the dispatcher I spoke with for an estimated time of arrival, to Derek, my experience was nothing but positive. I had such a great experience that I will always use Sanford for my heating, cooling, and plumbing needs. Highly recommended!
After Sanford did such an impressive job installing our new Bosch furnace last winter, it was a no brainer as to who we wanted to add a central air conditioner to our house.
They gave us two options and we chose to go with a heat pump. Jason and his team did an incredible job installing the system in just a single day. The quality of their workmanship is second to none and he couldn’t be a nicer person to work with.
Another great job by Sanford !
We had Brian B come to our home to conduct a follow up visit to evaluate our Carrier AC that was installed in February. Just like the three-man crew who did the installation, Brian B did an outstanding job of making sure that everything was working just fine. He answered all our questions and made sure we were confident that our AC would be working fine this summer. Great job.
Extremely happy with the service I received. Mike did an excellent job of servicing my HVAC system. He was very efficient, knowledgeable and took the time to answer all my questions. Also, the office personnel were very helpful and responsive to all my requests and questions regarding scheduling and pricing. I will be using them again and would highly recommend Mike.
Excellent service. Arrived on time. Asked me questions to diagnose any possible issues. Explained several things I did not know about my system.
Eric was very pleasant & thoroughly cleaned & diagnosed my system. Every Sanford employee with whom I have had dealings has been pleasant, attentive, and professional. A friend recommended Sanford to me & I recommend them to you as well. I have been very happy with my equipment & service & know I can contact them anytime with questions & concerns & they will respond in a timely manner. Thank you Eric!
Our tech was great! He was respectful of the space (and rolled with the chaos of small kiddos running around like goons), knowledgeable, and efficient. We’ve used Sanford for years and will continue to do so.
Kyle G. from Sanford was awesome and super respectful. They installed furnace and AC system. He explained everything without being condescending, helped set up the wireless system, checked it and his team cleaned up everything after the job. My standards are pretty high and Kyle not only met them, he exceeded them. Thank you.
As Seen & Heard On
Reach Out to Our Team for More Details
Feel free to call Sanford Temperature Control or fill out the online form for more information. You may also get in touch with our team to schedule an appointment. We look forward to hearing from you.