SEER Scores: What This Means for Your HVAC Unit

Posted October 17, 2022

Caring for our planet, and creating extra sustainable, environmentally-friendly strategies to scale back the worldwide carbon footprint, is on the forefront of many industries. Throughout all varieties of enterprise, modifications are taking impact to manage power consumption and affect customers to do their half to scale back merchandise and emissions that injury our planet and its future.

The U.S. Division of Power (DOE) establishes laws that lead these modifications. Within the HVAC trade specifically, this implies creating and planning forward to develop, tools that regulates our house’s temperature and air high quality successfully, but additionally extra effectively.

Within the Power Coverage and Conservation Act (EPCA) of 1975, the DOE was given authority to develop, revise, and implement minimal power conservation requirements for the tools in our properties. In 1987, the Nationwide Equipment Power Conservation Act established the primary minimal effectivity necessities for house HVAC programs. These requirements have been carried out in 1992, however have been later revised in 2006 and 2015.

In 2015, the DOE carried out minimal power effectivity requirements for heating and cooling tools. Given the dramatic variations in common temperatures, humidity, and severity of peak seasons, the DOE determined to create separate requirements for properties within the northern elements of the US and people within the southern elements.

The usual measure of power effectivity is known as SEER, which is brief for seasonal power effectivity ratio. It represents the whole cooling of an air conditioner or warmth pump (in btu) in the course of the regular cooling season, as in comparison with the whole electrical power enter (in watt-hours) consumed throughout that very same interval.

Beforehand, within the south, the minimal SEER score was about 14. In 2016, SEER2 protocols have been developed, which laid out a scheduled plan to scale back power consumption by elevating the minimal effectivity necessities in your HVAC system. By 2023, SEER2 would absolutely substitute SEER scores.

What’s SEER2?

The key distinction between SEER and SEER2 are that SEER2 scores differ by area, to account for seasonal temperature variations.

Efficient January 1^st, 2023, all new HVAC programs bought in any explicit area have to be SEER2 compliant.

Within the south, the place we use considerably extra cooling power, this raises the minimal SEER score from 14 to fifteen. Which means in our space, we will probably be required to promote solely extra environment friendly HVAC programs – and owners will solely have the ability to buy SEER2 compliant (extra environment friendly) programs for his or her properties.

How Will SEER2 Make an Affect?

In line with a examine on Residential Power Consumption in 2015 by the U.S. Power Data Administration, over 76 million primary-occupied U.S. properties use air-con tools.

When SEER2 goes into impact, the DOE calculates that these households will collectively save between $2.5 and $12.2 BILLION on power payments in the course of the 30-year interval.

What Does This Imply for You?

In our areas, which means after January 1, 2023, we’ll now not have the ability to promote tools that isn’t SEER2 compliant. The one HVAC tools obtainable within the southern a part of the nation will must be extra energy-efficient and have a mean SEER2 score of 15. Any tools that doesn’t meet these requirements can’t be put in or bought within the states we service.

This additionally signifies that the typical worth of HVAC programs in your house will enhance. The extra environment friendly the system, the higher it operates and the longer it lasts, so you’d anticipate this tools to price somewhat extra. Most models will see a worth enhance between 20 and 25%.

The BENEFIT of a extra environment friendly system, nonetheless, is that your private home would require much less power to maintain it cool. That is nice for the surroundings, and you may nonetheless hold your private home as cool as you’d like.

And, these new programs can ship the identical cooling output extra successfully, which implies you’ll get monetary savings EACH MONTH in your utilities. Over time, these financial savings will assist offset the upper worth of the tools. And, these models are inclined to last more, which implies you doubtless received’t want to switch this unit as early as you’d have with a extra primary mannequin.

Take into consideration your HVAC system like your automotive.

Similar to a gas-efficient automotive prices you much less to run, an energy-efficient air conditioner prices you much less to function. You’ll be able to consider SEER as an HVAC unit’s “miles per gallon” score, as a result of models with the next SEER score function extra effectively…or get extra “miles to their gallon”.

When you would possibly pay extra for the automotive initially, you’ll pay a lot much less cash on fuel each time you refill sooner or later. Whenever you buy a brand new SEER2-compliant HVAC system, it’ll be like out of the blue getting 35 miles to the gallon as an alternative of 30 – which is a good factor in the long term.

How Do I Discover My Gear’s SEER Score?

Most air conditioners carry a yellow “Power Information” label that clearly shows the SEER score.

These Power Information stickers are mandated by the FTC, to assist customers evaluate power utilization and the price of tools. Right here, you’ll discover your SEER score and notes about set up which will affect that quantity.

It will also be discovered close to the highest of the producer’s label, close to the mannequin quantity and serial quantity. The primary two numbers inform the story: any unit with a mannequin quantity “15AC” for instance, has a SEER score of 15.

Do I Have to Improve My HVAC System to SEER2 Requirements?

SEER2 necessities imply that older programs that don’t meet 2023 necessities will probably be phased out. Which means elements and elements will now not be manufactured for these models, and restore work may very well be arduous to search out. It additionally signifies that these repairs and providers could also be increasingly costly over time.

In case your unit is nearing the tip of its lifespan, it might be time to plan forward for a substitute now, to save lots of you pricey restore and repair costs later.

What Ought to You Do to Put together?

If you recognize your private home is in want of an HVAC substitute, or in case your HVAC system is getting outdated or having hassle maintaining with the calls for in your house, you need to begin planning for a SEER2-compliant system now.

These higher-efficiency programs will see between a 20 and 25% enhance in worth. Due to this fact, it’s a good suggestion to start budgeting and saving for these main house purchases earlier than the time comes.

Should you’re unsure how outdated your system is, or aren’t certain whether or not the system you’ve is SEER2 compliant, Hiller is right here to assist! If we’ve been out to your private home to restore, service, or set up tools earlier than, we doubtless have this data readily available. If not, we’d be glad to come back have a look and make suggestions that finest set you up for the longer term.

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