If it’s time to replace the air conditioner in your home, you may be wondering about the different energy-efficiency ratings. How do you choose an air conditioner that fits your family’s needs? The bottom line is, choosing the most efficient unit possible will serve you best in the long term.
You can keep reading to learn more about your options for air conditioning replacement in Campbell County, WI. Then give our team a call to schedule your in-home assessment. You can also keep reading to learn more about SEER2 ratings and what they mean for your home and family.
Understand SEER Ratings
First, it is important to understand what a SEER2 rating is. An air conditioner’s cooling ability has historically been measured using the SEER rating. A higher rating on the SEER scale means more efficient cooling. But the SEER rating became outdated because it didn’t take real-world factors into consideration.
It was replaced in 2023 with the SEER2 rating, which also offers an efficiency rating for cooling but it is more tailored to environmental and usage factors, thus making it more accurate. After all, your air conditioner has to operate in a variety of conditions from days that are mild to days that are sweltering and everything in between.
SEER2 rates the overall heat removed from your home across the entire cooling season. The minimum efficiency rating is 14.3, meaning that the baseline AC or heat pump must remove enough heat to reach this rating on the SEER2 scale. But, the higher the rating, the better. Any unit rated over 17 on the SEER2 scale is considered highly efficient, with ratings currently reaching 22.
Keep in mind that SEER2 recommendations may vary based on your region. Here where we live, a 14 on the SEER2 scale is fine for cooling. For people who live in the south, the minimum SEER2 rating is slightly higher at 14.5 or 15. Units have to be more efficient to cool a home in climates that stay hotter longer.
Why is Efficiency Important?
You may wonder what the big deal is with SEER2 ratings. Can’t you just pick an air conditioner and have it installed and move on? The short answer is, yes you can. However, investing in a more energy-efficient unit now can pay off over time. Sure, a more efficient air conditioner is going to cost a little more to install upfront. However, you stand to save a lot on your monthly energy bills over the entire life of the unit.
In fact, you may even save enough to cover the initial higher cost, plus save even more. And you also want to consider that when your air conditioner is more efficient, it takes on less wear and tear. When your air conditioner does not have to work as hard to provide cooling for your home, it can last longer without wearing down as fast. Even though the average lifespan for an air conditioner is 10-15 years, you could easily reach that lifespan of your highly efficient unit with proper maintenance.
Choosing a SEER2 Rating
The minimum SEER2 rating that is allowed by industry standards is 14. That means this number is the baseline for energy efficiency. Having a unit that rates at a 14 on the SEER2 scale is the most basic efficiency you can get. The higher the rating, the more efficient your unit will be. Having a SEER2 rating of 15 will be slightly more efficient, while having a SEER2 rating of 18 means that the unit will be significantly more efficient.
For example, let’s consider that you spend $100 per month on your energy costs. When you have the potential to save 10%, that’s around $120 in savings per year. When you have the potential to save 25%, that’s $300 per year. The savings can add up very quickly over the life of your air conditioner.
Schedule an appointment with the team at Climate Solutions, Inc. The trusted source for all your heating and cooling needs.