What is a SEER Rating?
You’ve probably heard the term “SEER rating” before, especially when it comes to air conditioners and other cooling and heating devices. What does a SEER rating mean? How do you distinguish between a good SEER rating and one that perhaps isn’t quite up to par?
What Is a SEER Rating?
“SEER” technically stands for “Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio.” Essentially, the SEER rating system seeks to give a numerical value to the energy efficiency of a particular cooling or heating unit. It’s similar to the miles per gallon ratio on cars in the sense that it’s a useful tool for getting an idea of the efficiency of a particular model of heating or cooling unit.
In more technical terms, the SEER rating of an air conditioner is defined by its cooling output over an average cooling season divided by the energy it uses (measured in watt-hours).
Keep in mind that these ratings, much like the miles per hour of a car, only denotes the maximum efficiency of a particular unit. Because the reality is never nearly as neat or clean as theory, this often means that the unit won’t operate at quite the same efficiency as you might predict from the SEER rating.
A SEER can still be used to tell whether one particular unit will run more efficiently than another, in the same way, that a car’s miles per hour indicate that hybrid cars are generally more fuel-efficient than the average pick-up truck.
What Exactly Is a ‘Good’ SEER Rating?
There are a few things to keep in mind when shopping for an energy-efficient air conditioner. The first thing is that higher ratings are better, as they denote a more energy-efficient machine. The second thing is that due to legal reasons, all modern air conditioners are required to have a SEER rating of at least 13, so a 14 or higher rating means a unit is particularly efficient.
Contact the Professionals
If you’re looking for a new AC unit with a good SEER rating, All Temp Co., Inc Air Conditioning, Heating, Plumbing, & Electrical provides heating and cooling system installations, and we also do energy efficiency audits on current systems. From commercial maintenance and repairs to residential needs, we can serve the entire Harrisburg and Charlotte area.
Contact All Temp Co., Inc Air Conditioning, Heating, Plumbing, & Electrical today to get started.
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