How to Make Sense of SEER Efficiency Ratings

Being able to understand how efficient your central air conditioning system is important and in order to do this, you will need to know what SEER efficiency ratings are. The word SEER stands for the Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio and it is a describer of how effective each system ultimately works. While the best air conditioners made to today have ratings that climb into the twenties, there is a lot of efficiency variance which is why it is important to know more about how the ratings work.

High SEER efficiency ratings will indicate high performance efficiently while lowering energy bills. The way the rating is concluded involves mathematically identifying the ratio of the total amount of cooling capacity the system is capable of during its normal seasonal phase of operation and dividing it by the total amount of electric energy input within the same time period. This means that when you are shopping for an air conditioning unit, if you see a SEER efficiency rating that is anywhere in the twenties or even the high teens, it is likely to be at least somewhat efficient, if not highly so. On the other hand, systems with ratings in the low teens will sometimes cost you more in the long run because they will drive your energy bills higher.

If you are still confused in regards to what sort of SEER rating you should look for when choosing your new unit, another great indicator of high quality is to shop for units with the Energy Star seal. Any air conditioners that meet these strict guidelines are usually:

•  In the top twenty five percent versus all other models on the market

•  Will provide the maximum amount of savings on monthly energy bills, especially under optimal conditions.

•  Have gone through rigorous testing to meet the guidelines.

•  Government tax incentives.

Understanding SEER efficiency ratings before making a purchase is extremely important.