Understanding Air Conditioning System Energy Efficiency
March 20, 2017

The warm weather starts early in Georgia, and it stays for a long time. Homes have to begin planning for hot weather during the late winter, which is why we encourage you to schedule your air conditioning maintenance as early as possible during the year. If you haven’t already done so, sign up for our Comfort Club program, which will get you started with the spring maintenance necessary for dependable and energy efficient AC performance all through summer.

Another reason to have maintenance done now is to check if your air conditioner needs to be replaced. You want to have time to consider your new system options so the professionals can have the best new unit installed before the heavy heat hits. One important consideration in choosing a new system is its energy efficiency.

How Air Conditioner Efficiency Is Rated

Central air conditioning systems have a rating that measures their energy efficiency: seasonal energy efficiency ratio, abbreviated SEER. SEER is the ratio of the output of cooling from the system (measured in BTUs, British Thermal Units) to the amount of electrical power the system uses (measured in watt-hours). The measurements that determine SEER are done over a season, rather than over one test. The single test rating is EER, and isn’t as effective a measurement of efficiency performance as SEER.

The higher the SEER rating, the less energy an air conditioner uses to produce cooling. The current minimum SEER rating for an air conditioning system to earn the ENERGY STAR label is 15. (It was raised from 13 in September 2015.) Special high-efficiency air conditioners that use multi-stage compressors and variable-speed fans can score SEER ratings in the low 20s.

Should I Simply Get an AC with the Highest SEER I Can Find?

No. It’s a common misunderstanding that a higher SEER rating automatically means savings. But here’s something to keep in mind: SEER only measures how efficiently the air conditioner operates, not how well it operates. A 20 SEER central air conditioner may be poorly suited for a house, and it will end up wasting money, starting with a high installation price, while delivering insufficient cooling. Finding the ideal air conditioning installation involves balancing a number of factors, of which SEER is one of the most important—but hardly the only factor.

This is why it’s essential to have professional involved from the start when the time arrives to have a new AC installed for your house. Once you contact us for an air conditioning replacement (or we suggest a replacement as part of regular maintenance), we’ll analyze your home’s cooling needs to find the ideal size and efficiency of AC to keep the house comfortable and fit your budget. After that, our technicians will have the new central air conditioner in place in no time at all.

For excellent air conditioning installation in Dunwoody, GA, we are the people to trust. We carry top brands and will see that you have the system with the right combination of efficiency and output.

Comfort Zone Heating & Cooling serves Cumming, GA and all of Northern Atlanta.

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