Decades ago, you had to pay quite a bit more money to get an energy-efficient air conditioning unit. Today, government mandates mean that every air conditioning unit sold on the market today is energy efficient. Here at Pro Heating and Cooling, Inc., we install new air conditioning systems, including ductless HVAC systems.

We also are your local air conditioning repair and maintenance contractors. We love helping our customers determine the properly sized AC unit for their home with an energy-efficiency rating right for their budget.

What Is a SEER Rating?

SEER stands for “seasonal energy efficiency ratio.” It is the standard that the Department of Energy uses to evaluate the energy efficiency of every new AC unit. Every air conditioning model undergoes a series of tests to determine how efficiently they cool an average home. These tests evaluate the ACs at different temperatures as though they were going through an entire cooling season.

The wattage needed to cool from each particular temperature is measured. The ratio is cooling throughput versus wattage required for an entire cooling season. The higher the SEER number, the greater your energy savings. Air conditioning units that have a SEER rating include central air units, heat pumps, mini-splits and window units.

Every six years, the federal government evaluates the status of these SEER ratings. At that time, there is usually a new mandate to increase the SEER ratings of ACs by a certain date.

The Department of Energy (DOE) has divided the country into three regions — the Southwest, the Southeast and the Northern states. There are different regulations for SEER minimum ratings in each region. There are also different regulations regarding when an air conditioning system with a rating below the new SEER minimum rating can be sold. Here in the greater Portland area, we are in the Northern region for the DOE standards.

Air conditioners can be sold that meet the old SEER rating as long as they were manufactured before the latest SEER minimum ratings were put in place. This is not true for residential air conditioning units sold in other regions of the country.

What Is New for SEER Ratings and Air Conditioning System Sales as of 2023?

As of January 1, 2023, the new minimum SEER rating for the Northern states is 14. Air conditioning units at the old rating standard can continue to be sold as long as they were manufactured before 2023.

Air conditioning units tend to last about 15 to 20 years. If your unit is around 12 or more years of age, it likely has a SEER of around 8 to 10. You can find your current unit’s SEER rating on a label on the inside portion of your system. These older units are about 20% to 40% less energy efficient than the new air conditioning units on the market today.

The DOE has also changed the SEER to SEER2. The SEER2 test battery of each air conditioning unit has been beefed up to add a static blower test. The new test helps the SEER better reflect the real conditions that these AC units will endure. You may see “SEER2” on some of the newer units.

What Is a Good SEER Rating?

The ducted air conditioning units that have the highest SEER ratings have two-stage or variable-speed compressors and variable-speed blowers. The units that cool at the minimum SEER ratings tend to have single-speed blowers and compressors. When a minimum-SEER unit cycles on, both the compressor and the blower run at full speed. The compressor and blower will run at full speed until the desired thermostat temperature is achieved.

When the weather is milder, this can be a problem when the unit is cycling on and off frequently. This situation creates times when the house is a bit stuffy. Also, it creates a situation in which there can be warmer zones in your home. Finally, this can create a problem with higher humidity as well. Your air conditioning system is designed to cycle on enough to take the humidity out of the air.

The newer units with higher energy efficiency are cycled on more frequently, but they actually save energy. The new units save energy because they often only cycle on at about one-third of full speed. They are better able to keep your home more consistently at the desired temperature.

Since they operate at a lower speed, they save energy. Another cost-saving benefit is that the two- and variable-speed units tend to have better longevity and need less maintenance. The higher-efficiency units have better longevity because they infrequently run at full speed. The typical 16-SEER central air conditioning unit has a two-stage compressor.

Ducted central air conditioning systems tend to max out at around 21 as a SEER rating. Ductless AC systems, if your home is a suitable candidate, can achieve much higher SEER ratings. The higher SEER ratings are because of the inherent losses of cooled air in ductwork. We can help you evaluate if a ductless system is right for your situation and budget.

How Can I Evaluate My Situation?

The problem with variable- and two-stage central air units is that they are more costly. It is important that homeowners carefully evaluate the costs and benefits of different air conditioning systems. You can use a SEER calculator online. Plug in the Portland area, the SEER of your current unit and the SEER of units you are contemplating. These calculators will show you how much money you can save during the season with different units under consideration.

The older SEER standard translates to about a half of a point less than the new standard. This is because of the losses in energy efficiency created by ductwork.

The other financial consideration to take into account is the availability of tax credits and rebates. Federal, state and local tax credits can be available to help with the cost of your new energy-efficient AC system. Also, manufacturer and utility company rebates come up at times to help consumers defray the cost of their new unit.

Currently, a homeowner who purchases at least a 16 SEER, Energy Star-rated unit can get a $600 federal tax credit. The unit must be purchased and installed by December 31, 2032. Thus, the federal government is incentivizing the purchase of air conditioning systems with a higher SEER than our current standard. Jumping from the minimum 14-SEER unit to a 16-SEER unit represents approximately a 13% savings in energy.

Pro Heating and Cooling, Inc.: Your Local, Full-Service HVAC Company

At Pro Heating and Cooling, Inc., we have been serving the Hillsboro and Portland metro area with quality air conditioning service since 2016. We are also your local heating contractor, providing heating installation, repair, and maintenance services. We service furnaces as well as heat pumps. We provide other HVAC and related contracting services to our community. These include:

  • Indoor air quality improvement services
  • Wi-Fi thermostat installation
  • Water heater installation
  • Gas pipe installation
  • New construction and remodeling work
  • Duct sealing

Our technicians are NATE-certified. That means they receive ongoing training that meets and exceeds industry standards. We are a member of the Air Conditioning Contractors of America, and we have a BBB A+ rating. We are proud of our excellence in being a customer-first company.

Call us today for more information on energy-efficient air conditioning systems for your family’s needs at Pro Heating and Cooling, Inc..

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