Hello Partners!

In July we talked about How to Cool Off with No AC. This month I would like to talk about things you should look for when you decide it’s time to replace your AC. Specifically, I would like to talk about SEER ratings. What is a SEER rating? What is a GOOD SEER rating?

The SEER rating is probably the most important number when looking for a new air conditioning unit. I would argue that the SEER rating is more important than the price. How can that be? Allow me to start at the beginning:

SEER is an acronym that stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio. This is a fancy term for a calculation that measures how much energy the unit will use over the course of 1 year. Air conditioning units have SEER ratings because the United States Department of Energy has mandated that all newly manufactured air conditioning units meet a minimum SEER requirement. This allows consumers to compare the overall value of one unit to another.

Since there is a minimum SEER rating for all new air conditioning units, that means all SEER ratings are good, right? Not exactly.

This doesn’t mean there are “bad” SEER ratings. However, there is definitely opportunity to get the most “bang for your buck”. The reason I said it can be argued that the SEER rating is almost as important as the price is because the higher the SEER rating, the more the unit will save you on electricity bills. However, a higher SEER rating usually means a higher cost for the unit. So, there is a delicate balance that needs to be achieved here to ensure you get the best unit for the money you have to spend, and that unit is the best fit for your building.

Air conditioners that are available on the market today generally range from a SEER rating of 13 to 25. However, the average unit range is between 15 and 18. Does this mean you should always get the highest SEER rating available? Once again, the answer is, not exactly.

Here is an example scenario: you have a choice between two units, one with a SEER of 15 and one with a SEER of 17. The unit with the SEER rating of 17 may very well cost up to $2,500 more than the other unit. However, if the energy use attributable to your air conditioning does not offer enough opportunity to save that much on your annual energy bill, then the SEER 17 unit may not be worth the additional upfront cost of the more efficient unit. This is where the delicate balance I mentioned comes into play. In this scenario, it may be the most cost-effective choice to select the less energy efficient unit.

When in doubt, don’t hesitate to talk to an expert as they will be able to assist you with selecting the right unit for the job.

The savings never stop!

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Sources:
https://www.trane.com/residential/en/resources/blog/whats-good-seer-rating/
https://www.bobvila.com/articles/what-is-a-seer-rating/