What Is SEER And EER Rating?

When going shopping for air conditioners, you will often come across SEER and EER rating. Most people have no idea what this means, and will often end up buying the first air conditioning unit they come across. SEER and EER rating are the measurements of an air conditioner’s energy efficiency. With a higher EER or SEER ratings, your unit reduces utility bills and serves you well for an extended period of time. When buying air conditioners, it is important that you understand what these terms mean and how they affect you as the consumer.

What are SEER and EER Ratings?

SEER stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Rating, and is used to measure an air conditioner’s energy efficiency for a season, at varying temperatures. Temperatures ranging from 65 to 104°F are taken into account when calculating energy efficiency of various air conditioners.

EER stands for Energy Efficiency Ratio and is used to measure energy efficiency under particular sets of conditions. To get the EER rating of an air conditioner, you’ll have to divide electrical power (watts) by cooling (BTU). EER is calculated under the following conditions; 80°F indoor temperature and 95°F outdoor temperature.

What Rating Should I Look Out For?

If you live in a country with temperatures rising up to 95°F and above, your air conditioner is likely to remain on. For this reason, checking for EER rating will give you more accurate results. If you come from regions with moderate temperatures, then you should look for SEER rating of the air conditioner.

Some air conditioners will display both the SEER and EER rating, while others will only display the SEER rating. When comparing two air conditioners, make sure you compare the same measurements between the two. For instance, if you are checking the SEER rating of one unit, then you should check the same for the second unit. Comparing the SEER rating of one unit and the EER of the next one won’t give you accurate results.
If you want to buy an air conditioner and you are unsure of what to buy as far as SEER and EER rating is concerned, then feel free to call us to learn more about efficient heating and air conditioning options.

Jennifer P.