Air Conditioning Installation Tips: Understanding Energy Star Ratings for AC Units
Walking out of the sweltering heat of a summer day and entering a room that’s been cooled to the perfect temperature – it’s always a wonderful feeling. It’s possible that no modern home appliance is more essential to comfortable living than an air conditioning installation.
Most people rely on appliances to keep their home comfortable all throughout the year and expect to pay for that convenience with monthly utility bills. By choosing an Energy Star HVAC system, you get to enjoy more efficiency for a lower price in terms of energy costs.
Energy Star Rating: How It Helps
There are three functions in an HVAC system: ventilation, heating, and air conditioning. It utilizes a series of ducts networked all around the home to distribute cooling and heating.
Over the years, the system has improved its level of energy. With an Energy Star system in place, homeowners can easily determine if an appliance or HVAC system is energy efficient. This can then help you save on your monthly bill based on how much energy your home consumes.
Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) Rate
HVAC systems are typically rated with what is known as SEER or Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio rate. The usual rating for these systems can range from 13 to 23, with products with the highest SEER ratings typically considered as the most energy efficient.
If you are looking into a new air conditioning installation, the item must have a SEER rating of no less than 14.5. Single models should have an EER or Energy Efficiency Ratio of 11.0, while split systems should have 12.0 to qualify as an Energy Star certified product.
Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER)
EER is a measurement of an air conditioner’s cooling output in BTUs, which are divided by electricity consumption in kilowatts.
Compared to the SEER rating that is based on a seasonal average, the EER is computed under certain test conditions. The higher the EER number, the more energy efficient a product is. Always look for an EER rating that’s higher than 11.6 and up to 16.2.
Heating Seasonal Performance Factor (HSPF)
HSPF measures the energy efficiency of a heat pump system that provides heat, as well as air conditioning. Because heat pumps have the capacity to cycle in both directions, they can produce heat in the winter and cooling in the summer. Similar to the EER and SEER ratings, a higher HSPF number equates to a more efficient product.
Reducing Your Monthly Energy Bill
The simplest and most effective way to save money on your air conditioning installation’s energy consumption is to have a routine tune-up.
Worn parts, dirty vents, clogged air filters, and condensers with grime build-up force your HVAC system to work extra hard to produce the same cooling results. This means more energy is used than required. Have your system cleaned, inspected, and serviced at least two times annually. You’ll not only save a lot on energy costs but prevent any equipment breakdowns in the future.
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