The ratio between heat removed - to watt of power used - EER and SEER Cooling equipment systems used in residential and small commercial buildings often express cooling system efficiency in terms of the Energy Efficiency Ratio - EER - and/or Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio - SEER. For room air conditioners the commonly used efficiency ratio is the EER - Energy Efficiency Ratio For central air conditioners the commonly used ratio is SEER - Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio These ratings are posted on the Energy Guide Label attached to all new air conditioners. Some air conditioner manufacturers participates in the voluntary Energy Star labeling program where the Energy Star label indicates higher EER and SEER ratings. EER - Energy Efficiency Ratio EER is a measure of how efficient a cooling system operates in steady state (over time) when the outdoor temperature is at a specific level (outdoor conditions commonly used are 95 oF). the higher EER - the more energy efficient system EER can be expressed as EER = qc / P         (1) where qc = output cooling energy (Btu) P = input electrical energy consumption (watt-hours, Wh)   EER is commonly used for room air conditioners ranging 5,000 Btu per hour to 15,000 Btu per hour.

1 Btu/h = 2.931x10-4 kW = 0.0299 kpm/s = 0.252 kcal/h = 3.986x10-4 hk = 3.939x10-4 hp = 0.2163 ft lb/s In mild climates air conditioners with EER of at least 9.0 should be selected. In hotter climates air conditioners with EER over 10.should be selected. Note that EER is sometimes expressed with cooling power and electrical power consumption EERpower =  qc / P      (1b) where qc = output cooling power (Btu/h) P = input electrical power consumption (W) SEER - Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio SEER  - Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio - can be expressed as SEER = Qc / P         (2) where Qc = seasonal cooling energy (Btu) P = seasonal electrical energy consumption (Wh) SEER should be at least 10 -  there are units where SEER reach ate least 17. Example - EERpower A cooling unit operating at 1 ton/kW would have an EERpower of 12,000 Btu per hour divided by 1000 watts or 12. This is mathematically equivalent to multiplying the COP by 3.413. Therefore a small cooling unit operating at 1 ton per kW (1000 watts) is equivalent to a COP of 3.516, or an EERpower of 12.

The performance of your cooling and heating system is determined in a large part by your HVAC equipment’s operating efficiency. Each “matched system” – an outdoor compressor bearing unit that matches with an indoor unit – is tested and awarded an Energy Efficiency Rating, sort of like a miles per gallon (mpg) rating for your car. The more cooling/heating a system puts out for each unit of energy it consumes, the higher rating it will receive.  best ac units for bedroomThe higher the efficiency rating of your system, the less energy it will consume…that means lower utility bills and less of an impact on the environment.hvac unit problems Also, utility companies will often compensate homeowners to the tune of hundreds of dollars to install high-efficiency systems.  small ac unit for shed

Use our Rebate Finder to see what rebates are available to you when you install a high efficiency system. For air conditioners, this metric is called a SEER rating, Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio.  Higher the SEER ratings mean greater efficiency. As of January 2006, the federal government mandates that all new central air conditioning equipment be at least SEER-13, but there is equipment available rated as high as SEER-18 and even SEER-23 . ACDoctor urges you to install an air conditioning system that is at least SEER-16, especially if you live in the Sunbelt where air conditioning systems run most often. Use our Cooling Calculator to see the impact on your wallet and your environmental footprint that higher SEER air conditioning can have for you. A homeowner in Florida who installs an 16 SEER system can save $2,070 in operating costs over the lifespan of their system and will prevent nearly 30,000 pounds of Green House Gases from being released into the atmosphere, the equivalent of removing 3 cars from the road each year or planting 4 acres of forest.

*Assumes 2,985 cooling hours, a 16 SEER 3 ton versus a 13 SEER 3 ton unit,  electricity cost of $0.1113/kWh, & an operating life of 12 years. Amazingly, one in four furnaces in U.S. homes today is more than 20 years old and should be replaced with new high-efficiency systems. The Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE) is the most widely used measure of a furnace’s efficiency.  This is the measurement of the percentage of heat delivered to your house from each unit of fuel. Standard systems might have an AFUE of 80%, which means the furnace converts 80% of the fuel it burns in to heat for your home while the other 20% is lost out of a chimney. High-efficiency furnaces can be over 95% AFUE. Air Source Heat Pumps, often used in moderate climates to heat and cool a home, are rated by a Heating and Seasonal Performance Factor (HSPF) Heat Pumps use the difference between outdoor and indoor air temperatures to cool and heat your home much like standard air conditioners do. 

The difference is that Heat Pumps can cycle in both directions and can therefore provide cooling in the summer months and heating in the winter. High efficiency Heat Pumps have a higher Heating and Seasonal Performance Factor (HSPF) and use less energy than conventional models. Administration unveils 'historic' efficiency rules for air conditioners By Devin Henry - The Hill 1625 K Street, NW Suite 900 Washington DC 20006 | 202-628-8503 faxThe contents of this site are ©2016 Capitol Hill Publishing Corp., a subsidiary of News Communications, Inc.Most heating and air salespeople will tell every customer they need to install an ultra high efficiency (and ultra-expensive) central air conditioning unit. The truth is, very few people actually need such a high-end unit. Even many homeowners who ultimately decide to install a 16 SEER (or higher) air conditioner don’t technically need such an ultra efficient unit to cool their homes comfortably. They install them because other considerations can sometimes make upgrading beyond a basic model a no-brainer financially,

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not against ultra high efficiency air conditioners. Quite the contrary, I think they’re fantastic. What I am against is salespeople misleading customers in order to sell more expensive equipment just so they can earn higher commissions. So I’d like to arm you with the information that will help you decide 2 things for yourself… Let’s start with this basic premise… when sized correctly, even the most basic 13 SEER air conditioning unit will cool your home. Despite what any salesperson tells you, a 13 SEER unit will cool just about any home comfortably.This may come as a surprise, but installing a new air conditioner is not high on most people's list of fun ways to spend money. So why not install the air conditioner that makes the most sense for you and your home financially? People who live in larger homes and older homes, especially if they have 2-story ceilings or lots of windows, will usually find it very expensive to keep their home comfortable during the summer.

If your utility bills are high enough, you might want to consider a 16+ SEER ac unit. This is especially true if you are replacing your old air conditioner and furnace at the same time so you can potentially qualify for a rebate from Xcel Energy. A 16 SEER air conditioner is approximately 20% more efficient than a basic 13 SEER unit. A 17 SEER model would be about 30% more efficient than a basic 13 SEER unit, so you can expect to lower your summertime utility bills a good bit by upgrading to one of these ultra high-efficiency air conditioners. it’s worth spending the few minutes it takes to do a rough calculation to see how long it will take to recoup back the additional money you spend on an ultra high efficiency air conditioner. Just multiply the increase in energy efficiency (use .20 for a 20% increase for example) amount of your average summertime utility bill. Then multiply the amount you would expect to save each month during the summer by 4. (4 being the number of months that are hot enough to need your air conditioner every day here in Denver)

That will give you a good estimate of your annual utility bill savings with a higher efficiency air conditioner. Say you would save about $300/year by installing a 16 SEER unit instead of a 13 SEER. If the cost difference after any Xcel Energy rebates is $1,500, it would take you 5 years to recover the additional cost. That’s a very reasonable time frame, and certainly worth installing the upgraded unit. If you’re just replacing your old air conditioner, you can qualify for the $500 Trade-In Rebate from Xcel to offset some of the cost of installing a more efficient unit. If you’re replacing your old air conditioner a new furnace at the same time, you can potentially qualify for both the $500 Trade-In Rebate and the New Equipment Rebate from Xcel. It’s important to keep in mind that the amount of the New Equipment Rebate you’ll actually receive depends on the EER rating of your new system, so you should think of it as being eligible for ‘up to’ the amount listed.

For example, even though the New Equipment Rebate for a 16 SEER air conditioner is listed as $500, the amount you’ll actually get back might only be $300, depending on how your new system rates out when tested for the EER. If you can qualify for both the Trade-In Rebate and at least a portion of the New Equipment Rebate from Xcel, it’s definitely worth considering a more efficient unit. If you’re looking to take advantage of a 0% Financing offer with an extended term (like 0% for 48 or 60 months), you will have to purchase a ‘qualifying system’ to get those terms. You can expect the 'qualifying system’ to include at least a 16 SEER air conditioner, and often times you’ll have to install a 17 SEER unit to qualify for the special financing. Don’t be surprised if you’ll also have to install a new variable-speed furnace at the same time to qualify for most of these financing promotions. Keep in mind that even 0% Interest financing isn’t necessarily free.