If you’ve been the owner of an air conditioner in your life, then you’ve probably seen a SEER rating. Every air conditioner is accompanied by a number that details how efficient it is. Most homeowners don’t think about what they mean and only operate under the assumption that a higher number is better. That’s fine, since that’s generally the case.
However, for homeowners who are a little bit more curious, these numbers can be a game-changer when coming to understand AC efficiency. In the field of HVAC in Hudsonville, MI, efficiency can mean the difference between a mediocre air conditioner and an amazing one.
Let’s talk about what SEER ratings mean. Anyone who is on the market for a new air conditioner should pay attention, these numbers could end up impacting your life for years to come!
What Does It Mean?
SEER ratings stand for seasonal energy efficiency ratio. It’s basically denoted as a single number bt it’s a little bit more complicated than that. Since the SEER number is a ratio, it’s found by taking the total cooling output of your air conditioner in British thermal units (BTUs) divided by the energy consumed over a specific amount of time. What this gives you is a number for how much cooling power your system is capable of, cut down by any excess use of energy.
Both energy-efficiency and cooling output are important for every air conditioner owner. That’s why it doesn’t matter how much cooling power a system has on its own. If it can’t consume as little energy as any other system, it’s SEER rating is going to drop dramatically.
How Does This Help?
Generally speaking, systems with lower SEER ratings will run cheaper. Homeowners often get tricked into getting an air conditioner with a lower SEER rating because they see it as more affordable. “Who cares,” they might say, “as long as it cools my house for cheaper, I don’t care about some number on this sticker.” While this might seem true in theory, it rarely ever works out that way.
Lower SEER ratings on a system also mean that it will consume more energy, which will end up costing you in the long run. When spending more money on a higher SEER rated system, you’re also saving money on energy costs going forward!
Finding the Balance
Give our team a call. Seriously, we know what we’re talking about when we look at SEER ratings. Finding the right air conditioner is all about finding the right system that is both affordable and has a high enough SEER rating to keep you happy and comfortable. We don’t want to set you up with the cheapest system on the market, but we also don’t want you overpaying for a unit that you probably didn’t need.
We have the necessary knowledge and tools to help you work through this conundrum. Whether you decide to go with a standard central air conditioner with an above average SEER rating, or you upgrade to a heat pump, we’ve got you covered.
Give the team at GRMetro Heating and Cooling a call for expert air conditioning advice.
