What A SEER Rating Is and How It Impacts Homeowners

The New SEER Rating Methodology for 2023

SEER, oregon Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio, measures the vigor ratio of aerial conditioners and vigor pumps. As of January 1st, 2023, HVAC ratio standards person been updated, with the Department of Energy assigning caller minimum SEER ratings for HVAC units and a revised method of measuring vigor efficiency. These changes volition assistance to trim vigor consumption, little vigor bills, and minimize biology impact. These changes are large quality for homeowners who are looking to prevention wealth connected vigor bills and trim their c footprint.

By installing a higher SEER-rated HVAC system, homeowners tin prevention 20% oregon much connected their vigor bills compared to systems with little SEER ratings. And with incentives and rebates disposable for energy-efficient HVAC installations, the outgo of upgrading to a strategy with a higher SEER standing strategy tin beryllium offset, making it an adjacent much charismatic enactment for homeowners.

HVAC companies successful the Greater Kansas City area, specified arsenic Polestar Plumbing, are a trusted assets for homeowners arsenic they navigate these caller regulations and look to acquisition an energy-efficient aerial conditioning system!

What is simply a SEER Rating?

It’s hard to sermon SEER ratings without archetypal defining what a SEER standing is.

Central aerial conditioners and vigor pumps are tested successful a controlled mounting to found the magnitude of vigor that is utilized to efficaciously chill a space. In the past, EER, oregon vigor ratio ratio, was the modular for investigating the vigor ratio of a cardinal HVAC system. EER evaluates the wattage utilized by the portion to chill a abstraction successful a acceptable environment. In caller years, the Department of Energy recovered that the strategy wasn’t capable successful evaluating however a cardinal aerial conditioning portion performs implicit the cooling season.

The SEER standing strategy takes seasonality into consideration, alternatively than being tested successful a static environment, aerial conditioning systems are rated implicit a assortment of antithetic temperatures to amended mimic changes successful vigor levels passim a cooling season. However, the Department of Energy recovered that adjacent this investigating didn’t champion correspond the real-world vigor depletion of an aerial conditioning system, and added investigating methods to simulate the unit changes that hap erstwhile blowing aerial done ductwork. This updated tested methodology has been named SEER2. 

Dividing the United States into 3 regions (North, South, and Southwest) to relationship for determination clime differences, the Department of Energy has acceptable antithetic minimum SEER requirements for each region. These changes interaction what homeowners tin bargain and erstwhile and it is suggested that homeowners and concern owners cheque with a trusted section HVAC installation specializer successful Kansas City erstwhile purchasing a caller unit. 

Kansas lies successful the portion that the authorities has designated to beryllium the “Northern States” and determination are less restrictions connected minimum vigor ratio levels for vigor pumps and aerial conditioners, arsenic determination is little wide AC usage successful cooler climates. Manufacturers indispensable present nutrient aerial conditioning and vigor pump systems that autumn wrong the updated minimum requirements, 14 and 13.8 respectively. Units that person already been manufactured tin inactive beryllium sold and installed successful homes by a licensed HVAC contractor.

In Southern regions, each recently installed aerial conditioning oregon vigor pump systems indispensable beryllium rated astatine the caller minimums, 15 SEER and 14.3 SEER respectively. Heat pumps and aerial conditioners that are rated beneath the caller minimums whitethorn not beryllium sold nor installed successful states successful the Southern region. 

Energy-Efficient Air Conditioners

There are galore benefits to choosing an energy-efficient aerial conditioner for your location oregon concern – reduced vigor costs, much reliable cooling, and they’re besides amended for the environment. Innovations successful aerial conditioning technology, specified arsenic variable-speed compressors, precocious vigor exchangers, and astute thermostats, person led to the improvement of systems with higher Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) ratings.

Prior to January 1st of 2023, aerial conditioners sold and installed successful the United States had to person a minimum SEER standing of 13 oregon 14 SEER, depending connected the region. With the caller legislation, the minimums person accrued to 14 and 15 SEER2. Some recently manufactured energy-efficient aerial conditioners, including those with an ENERGY STAR designation, whitethorn person a SEER2 standing upwards of 20, and are considered highly vigor efficient. It is estimated that aerial conditioners with a SEER2 standing of 25 tin save homeowners up to 50% connected vigor costs. 

Window units, due to the fact that they are portable and not connected to a cardinal heating oregon cooling system, are inactive rated utilizing the EER standing methodology. There are plentifulness of energy-efficient partition oregon model aerial conditioning units available, but if you’re funny successful keeping your location astatine a accordant somesthesia and having a much precise measurement of vigor efficiency, it’s champion to consult with a section HVAC contractor successful Kansas City to find however a cardinal aerial conditioning strategy volition execute successful your location oregon workspace. 

Energy-Efficient Heat Pumps 

Similar to cardinal aerial conditioning systems, centralized vigor pumps and ductless mini-split systems are taxable to the caller 2023 HVAC ratio standards. Manufacturers indispensable usage the caller investigating methodology and update labeling, and retailers and installers indispensable abide by the determination regulations erstwhile selling oregon installing caller units.

Additionally, heating units are taxable to HSPF2 ratings, which stands for Heating Seasonal Performance Factor. With these 2023 SEER standing and HSPF changes, those looking to acquisition a caller energy-efficient HVAC strategy should consult a section heating and cooling specializer to guarantee they are choosing a portion that meets minimum ratings and provides the vigor savings they’re looking for.

The Benefits of Energy-Efficient HVAC Systems 

An energy-efficient HVAC strategy equals vigor savings, resulting successful little inferior bills, little reliance connected fossil fuels, and systems that are kinder to the environment. With an easy-to-read numerical measurement system, the SEER standing listed connected HVAC units helps to pass buyers of the level of vigor ratio that an aerial conditioner oregon vigor pump has. Homeowners tin adjacent usage the SEER standing to cipher precisely however overmuch an aerial conditioner oregon vigor pump is costing them connected their vigor bill.

In addition, the US government, and galore authorities governments connection significant taxation savings and incentives connected recently installed energy-efficient aerial conditioners and heating units, allowing homeowners to prevention thousands of dollars.

It is important, however, to cognize that the SEER2 standing doesn’t archer you everything astir however vigor businesslike an aerial conditioner volition beryllium erstwhile installed successful your space. The quadrate footage of your home, the property of your home, the prime of your home’s insulation, and the clime that you unrecorded successful each origin into however overmuch you’ll payment from a highly-rated SEER2 aerial conditioner.

To dive deeper into however the SEER standing works and to larn however it volition interaction you arsenic you look for a caller SEER-rated HVAC unit, you tin larn much here – oregon scope retired to the experts astatine Polestar Plumbing who tin usher you successful precisely however to take the astir energy-efficient HVAC portion for your location oregon business!

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