You may have heard an HVAC technician throw around the term SEER, but you aren’t really sure what this means. An acronym for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio, SEER is a rating system that makes it possible for you to know how energy efficient your heating and cooling system is. This is important to know if you want to stay comfortable in your Austin home AND save on monthly electric bills!

How to Determine SEER Rating

In most cases you will find the SEER rating provided by the manufacturer on a yellow and black sticker, or an information sheet attached to the air handler or other component of your HVAC system. When this information isn’t available, you may have to do a little math. The SEER rating is determined by dividing the number of BTUs (British thermal units) by wattage. The manual provided with your system should provide more information on this; you can also call the manufacturer if you have problems calculating the SEER rating.

According to the U.S Dept. of Energy HVAC systems consumer more electricity than any other appliance or equipment in most households. If you’re considering a new air conditioning system, you’ll want to choose one that’s the proper size for your home so you can save money without compromising comfort. A higher SEER rating means the system is more efficient than one with a lower SEER rating.

Air conditioners manufactured a decade or so ago often have SEER ratings of 10 or less, not a good thing. Those manufactured since 2015 should have a SEER rating of at least 14 and preferably even higher after the EPA ruled on this matter. If your system is 10 or 15 years old or has a low SEER rating, you may want to consider upgrading to a newer model to not only save on energy costs, but enjoy improved efficiency which means a less harmful impact on the environment.

While it’s important to understand SEER ratings when choosing a new heating and cooling system, there are other factors to take into consideration as well including how well your home is insulated, type of windows installed, whether you may have issues with the ducts such as an air leak. At Schneider Mechanical our Austin air conditioning experts are knowledgeable about all of the factors that may impact your comfort. For help choosing an energy efficient new system that’s right for your needs, give us a call!