3 Rating Systems for an Energy Efficient HVAC System | Air Comfort HVAC

Summer keeps getting closer! Do you need to think about a new HVAC system? The experts at Air Comfort can offer guidance on how to choose an energy-efficient system for your home. Our best advice is to get to know the rating systems of HVAC equipment.

A variety of rating systems have been developed to help buyers better understand what they’re actually getting when they purchase an HVAC system, so they can make better-informed decisions. To best evaluate the energy efficiency of an HVAC system, you’ll need to understand the meanings of these ratings:

SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio)
The SEER rating refers to the energy efficiency of a system’s air conditioning unit by measuring its performance over a hypothetical cooling season. The ratio compares the amount of cooling provided by the AC unit in British thermal units (BTUs) with the amount of energy the central system uses in watts per hour. While the size, installation, and actual energy use patterns will determine your unit’s real life efficiency, SEER will help offer an idea of probable performance.

AFUE (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency)
An AFUE rating measures the heating efficiency for furnaces, boilers and water heaters. Manufacturers use AFUE in part to complete the federally required EnergyGuide label. The label helps illustrate how much energy the equipment will use in comparison to similar products, and also estimates the annual operating costs according to average use. AFUE is a factor that qualifies a product for the ENERGY STAR certification, which means that a manufacturer has demonstrated their products to be energy efficient.

HSPF (Heating Seasonal Performance Factor)
Electric heat pumps have their own measure of energy efficiency. The HSPF uses BTU information to calculate the heat output divided by the total electricity the heat pump consumes during a heating season.

With all three of these rating systems, higher numbers indicate greater energy efficiency.

If you’re interested in finding a new, energy efficient cooling system for the summer, turn to your service professionals at Air Comfort. Visit our website today to learn more about our cost-effective systems.