What is SEER Rating and How Does it Impact your HVAC system Performance?

Unlock the power of SEER rating: ‘What is SEER Rating and How Does it Impact your HVAC system Performance’. Discover the key to energy efficiency and cooling performance!

SEER ratings provide a window into how efficient an HVAC system will be. Therefore, it’s a wise idea to develop a better understanding of how SEER works before you buy a new system. Fortunately, reading the following article should answer the majority of your questions, which will put you in a much better position to make a purchasing decision.

What Does SEER Rating Mean?

SEER is a measure of maximum efficiency. In other words, if your HVAC has a SEER rating of 18, this is the most efficient it can be. Of course, many units don’t achieve their maximum efficiency rate due to a number of different factors, including having dirty furnace burners, leaking ductwork and dirty air conditioner coils.

What is a SEER Rating in HVAC Units?

HVAC systems are SEER rated, and most modern models will provide at least 13 SEER. The overall guidelines that an HVAC unit must fall within are between 13 SEER and 21 SEER. There are three different SEER categories to consider.

• 13-16 SEER provides baseline efficiency
• 16-18 SEER provides a mid-level of efficiency
• 19-21 SEER provides high efficiency

Please note that Energy Star air conditioners are not allowed to have less than 14.5 SEER.

Is the SEER Rating Important?

Your HVAC’s SEER rating will help determine how much your energy costs will be. Buying an HVAC with a lower SEER rating such as 14 or 15 will require less upfront cash, but it will also cause your monthly energy bill to be higher.

On the other hand, if you purchase an HVAC with a 20 or 21, it’s going to be much more efficient for your energy bill. Either way, your SEER rating will have a big impact on your wallet, which makes SEER a vital metric.

What SEER Rating Should I Buy?

If money was no object, everyone would buy an HVAC with a SEER rating of 21 or higher. Since this isn’t realistic for most people, we suggest splitting the difference with a mid-range SEER of 16-18.

For instance, the Lennox ML14XC1 is an efficient, single-stage air conditioner with a 16 SEER rating. It’ll save you up to 41 percent each year, and it has maintained an excellent 4.5-star rating out of more than 13,000 reviews on Lennox’s website.

How to Improve HVAC Efficiency

There are several ways you can improve your HVAC’s efficiency, and some of them won’t cost you anything. By purchasing a mid-range device and putting these tips in place, you can achieve very nice results.

1. Reduce Heat Gain

One of the ways you can improve efficiency is by simply keeping the sun out on hot days. To do this, you’ll need to close all your blinds and curtains. You can also replace incandescent bulbs with LEDs to reduce your energy consumption by up to 85 percent.

2. Use a Programmable Thermostat

This is by far the easiest way to save some money. By using a programmable thermostat, your home’s heat or air conditioning will turn itself down or up at the appropriate time.

3. Preserve Airflow

Keep your ducts clean of debris, dust and leaves. Be sure to also keep your vents unblocked by furniture or other objects. 

Tips for Air Conditioner Efficiency

Increase your AC’s efficiency by keeping your vents clean, replacing dirty filters and keeping an eye out for duct flow problems. Taking these steps gives your air conditioner what it needs to provide excellent performance.

Air Conditioner Repair in Cypress

The Chill Brothers provide the best AC installation service in the Greater Houston Area. We also offer our Chill Maintenance Plan, tune-ups, repairs and upgrades to HVAC systems. Let the Chill team go to work for you! To learn more about our HVAC and air conditioning services, please visit The Chill Brothers website.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q. What are some ways to maintain the efficiency of an HVAC system?

A. Scheduling annual duct clean-up will help remove any air pollutants, a smart thermostat that helps regulate your home temperatures remotely, & changing air filters regularly are some tips for maintaining HVAC system.

Q. How important is SEER rating?

A. HVAC with a lower SEER rating such as 14 or 15 will require less upfront cash, but it will also cause your monthly energy bill to be higher. On the other hand, if you purchase an HVAC with a 20 or 21, it will be much more efficient for your energy bill.

Q. What are the benefits of installing wifi thermostat?

A. A programmable thermostat puts you in control of how you cool your home. As a result, you can reduce your home energy costs by boosting the energy efficiency of your air conditioning unit. Your HVAC also gets less wear and tear from working overtime due to the wifi thermostat.