What is a SEER Rating?

It's no secret outdoor temperatures in Georgia have hovered in the 90-degree zone for seemingly several weeks. The dreaded high humidity's have also plagued the Atlanta metro area too. We've even experienced "pop-up" afternoon thunder-showers nearly every day. In Georgia we rely heavily on our HVAC systems and especially our air conditioning units. My air conditioner typically runs from the end of February until mid-November each year. Knock on wood it gets me through the 2014 season without incident! Earlier this week while assisting clients from Ohio and introducing them to the builder who will start construction on their new home, questions came up about HVAC systems which led to more questions about SEER Ratings. "What exactly is it and how does it affect us", they asked. What is a SEER RATING? Robbie Matiak is a project coordinator at R & D Mechanical Services, Inc. Robbie offered the following answer in a recent article in Woodstock Family Life Magazine. So, in case you've ever wondered about SEER Ratings, here's Robbie's explanation. Heating and cooling our homes account for approximately 50 percent of the energy we use in our homes. Having a high-efficiency HVAC system properly installed and maintained can help reduce that total cost. We're all accustomed to using MPG to determine the efficiency of our automobiles; the higher the MPG, the more efficient the automobile. The SEER, or Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio rating is the "MPG" rating for HVAC units; the higher the SEER rating, the more efficient the HVAC unit. Prior to 1975, there was no universal standard of measurement for HVAC energy efficiency. In 1975 the Air Conditioning Heating and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) introduced the EER or Energy Efficiency Ratio. This rating took into consideration the cooling output of the unit, watts of electricity, specific humidity and temperature.

While this provided a baseline efficiency rating it did not take into consideration the affects of seasonal operation. For example, Georgia and Utah have different summer conditions which affect the performance and resulting cooling energy savings for the user of the HVAC unit. These variations in seasonal output ultimately affect the EER and must be taken into consideration when calculating the unit's efficiency. AHRI introduced the SEER rating in 1978, taking into consideration the seasonal fluctuations on residential equipment usage patterns and an average cost of operating that residential equipment. This measure of efficiency is what the industry uses today. Currently the minimum rating for a newly manufactured HVAC unit in the United States is 13 SEER. There are higher efficiency units available today of 20 SEER or more, which promise to deliver greater energy savings. Beginning in 2015, the minimum rating in the United States will be 14 SEER. This new standard accounts for the long-term energy future of the nation by allowing more efficient systems to be placed in new homes and replaced in existing ones. While the higher SEER-rated systems have a marginally higher investment cost initially over the standard SEER systems, the energy cost savings will begin to offset the initial investment cost within a few years -- and even more so throughout the extended life of the higher SEER rated systems. Thank you Robbie Matiak for enlightening us on SEER Ratings. Sara Hibbard is a licensed Realtor in the state of Georgia. Sara looks forward to assisting you and your family throughout the relocation / buying / selling process when the time is right for you. Sara welcomes your inquiries and is easily reachable at 404-660-2481 or via e-mail at sara.hibbard@metrobrokers.com. Sara Hibbard is Glad Georgia Real Estate is on your Mind!