A Guide to Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER)

As the weather starts to warm up, it's time to start thinking about your home's air conditioning unit. One important factor in choosing the right unit for your home is the Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER). Keep reading to learn everything you need to know about SEER before making your purchase.

What are SEER ratings?

HVAC equipment SEER ratings are important because they help you identify the efficiency of each unit. The SEER rating is a measure of how efficient you can expect the equipment to be. The rating is a measure of how much heating or cooling the equipment can provide for each watt of electricity it consumes. Units with the highest SEER rating are some of the most energy-efficient systems on the market. New laws require HVAC units like heat pumps, furnaces, and air conditioners to have specific minimum SEER ratings to help you save money and extend the lifespan of your system.

What does a SEER rating tell you?

Efficiency is one of the most important considerations that you can make when comparing HVAC equipment. This is not just because a high SEER rating helps reduce your environmental footprint but also because the unit will use less energy, thereby helping to reduce your monthly energy costs. This is similar to the miles-per-gallon rating for a car, and it indicates how much cold or warm air the unit produces for every unit of energy it uses. A higher SEER rating means the unit is more efficient. For example, an air conditioner with a SEER rating of 18 is more energy-efficient than one with a SEER rating of 16.


When comparing HVAC units, efficiency is a key consideration, as a more efficient unit will use less energy and ultimately result in lower monthly energy costs. Since heating and air conditioning can account for as much as 12 percent of your annual energy usage, efficiency is a major consideration. While newer, more efficient systems can have SEER ratings in the 20s, an HVAC unit that is more than 10 years old probably has a SEER rating closer to 10.

Why are SEER ratings important?

The SEER rating of your HVAC unit is a key factor in how much you'll spend on heating and cooling. More efficient systems with higher SEER ratings can provide greater comfort than those with lower ratings. That's because high-efficiency systems offer two-stage or variable-speed heating and cooling. The two-stage unit's lowest setting allows it to maintain temperature with fewer temperature dips and spikes. Variable-speed systems have several hundred different settings, so they can adjust automatically to maintain the temperature in your house. Usually, variable-speed systems have SEER ratings of 20 or above.

An HVAC unit with a low SEER rating is likely to be a single-stage system. These systems have one setting and run at 100 percent capacity. They can have trouble heating or cooling homes, especially larger ones or those with multiple stories. You may notice cold or hot spots as well as high humidity levels. Single-stage systems also tend to be noisy.

Even though two-stage and variable-speed systems may use more energy than single-stage systems, they are more efficient overall. Their multiple settings allow them to be more efficient. For example, when the system detects your home only needs a slight adjustment in temperature, it will switch to a lower setting, which doesn’t require as much energy. Single-stage systems are programmed to heat or cool your home on the coldest or hottest day. This results in the unit turning on and off frequently and consuming excessive amounts of energy. You could see significant cost benefits by switching to an HVAC unit with a high SEER rating.

How are SEER ratings calculated?

The SEER rating is calculated by taking the total cooling output of the air conditioner or heat pump during its normal operating cycle and dividing it by the total electrical input used during that time. The SEER rating is calculated by system manufacturers. The manufacturer tests cooling and heating systems in laboratories to determine the amount of energy each system uses. The results are then compared with other standard systems. The standard system has a SEER rating of around 13. The United States Department of Energy sets the rules for the SEER rating system.


To get the actual numbers, the SEER rating is determined by dividing the total number of British thermal units (BTUs) of output by the total electrical energy input over a typical season. The SEER rating is important because it is a measure of how much energy a system will use. The higher the SEER rating, the less energy the system will use. This means that the system will save you money on your utility bills.

Are higher SEER ratings worth the investment?

As discussed, the higher the SEER rating, the more efficient the equipment. A higher-SEER unit will use less energy to cool or heat your home, which can save you money on your utility bills.

However, upgrading to a higher-seer air conditioner may not be worth the investment for everyone. Upgrading to a unit with a higher SEER rating can be expensive. Depending on the model you choose, you could spend several thousand dollars. The right choice for you will depend on your home and the location where you live. In areas with extremely hot summers and mild winters, it might make sense to purchase an air conditioner with a high SEER rating. Since you will rely on your AC year-round, a higher-rated unit could reduce your energy usage and save money.

Before deciding whether or not to upgrade to a high-seer air conditioner, consider how much you will save on your utility bills and how long it will take for you to recoup your investment. If you plan on living in your home for many years, upgrading to a high-seer unit could be worth the investment.


If you plan on upgrading your HVAC system and are comparing different units, there are a few things that you need to consider. One of the most important things you’ll want to look at is the SEER rating. The Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) is important because it helps you understand the efficiency of the unit and the amount of money it might cost to run throughout the year. Overall, SEER is an important resource for understanding energy efficiency.

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