The cost to heat and cool your home adds up to more than half of your utility bills. That’s why it’s imperative to find a system that offers quality comfort in your Tucson home while still remaining energy efficient. Better energy efficiency means your system is doing more while using less energy. Whether you are considering a replacement air conditioner or furnace or thinking to upgrade your current equipment to be more energy efficient, there are some ratings to look out for that will help you during the procedure. So what exactly do those energy efficiency ratings indicate?
SEER (used to measure cooling efficiency)
SEER stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio. The SEER rating considers the effectiveness of your unit at different temperatures, or rather, seasonally in Tucson. A greater SEER rating signifies a larger energy efficiency, which will turn into lower utility bills. The Department of Energy demands a minimum 13 SEER-rating for colder states in the north and a 14 SEER-rating minimum for warmer, southern states. If your home has an aged unit with a lower SEER-rating, you could see radical energy savings after an improvement.
AFUE or HSPF (used to measure heating efficiency: gas or electric)
AFUE stands for Annualized Fuel Utilization Efficiency ratio and it keeps track of the percentage of heat produced for every dollar of fuel consumed. You can consider it as the MPG on your car. The higher the AFUE-rating, the less your energy costs. If your furnace has a AFUE rating of 80, that signifies that 80% of the heat created is used to heat the home, while 20% of the heat is wasted through venting.
HSPF stands for the Heating Seasonal Performance Factor and operates to keep track of the heating effectiveness of heat pumps. It is the SEER rating for winter as it only measures your unit’s heating effectiveness. Again, the greater the number, the greater energy efficient the heat pump.
Ambient Air in Tucson offers equipment with the best energy efficiency ratings. If you are hesitant what the energy ratings are of the equipment in your home we would be more than willing to help you better comprehend to keep your home comfy, while saving money. Give us a call at 520-357-4912 to schedule an appointment with us.