What Is a SEER Rating?

This is the season for air conditioning replacement, and if your system limped through last summer, now is the time to get a new one installed. Summers here in Manor, TX are long and hot. Getting a new system set up now will give you the time to make the selection at leisure instead of having to scramble in front of a stifling wall of incoming heat. A good technician can help you make a selection for a new unit, but you should pay careful attention to the SEER rating, and ensure that your new system has a rating higher than the old. What is a SEER rating and why does it matter? Simply put, it’s a means of measuring the air conditioner’s efficiency.

WHAT IT STANDS FOR

SEER stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio, and it makes for a handy ruler to gauge a system’s efficiency no matter what the make, model or power output is. It measures the system’s cooling output in British Thermal Units (BTUs), then divides that number against the watt-hours of energy required to create it. For new units, that typically results in a number between 13 and 18, though window units and older units may have a SEER rating that is much lower. The higher the rating, the more cooling power your system can produce for less.

HOW TO APPLY IT

The SEER rating usually need to come second to the overall power output, since your unit needs to be able to cool your entire house comfortably. Don’t let a high SEER rating compel you to get a system that isn’t powerful enough. Beyond that, look for the EnergyStar sticker, which the U.S. Department of energy uses to denote particularly efficient air conditioners.

Contact the professionals at Intelligent Air Services to help select a good air conditioning unit for you!