Founded in 1969, Climate Control, Inc. is a second-generation family-owned HVAC company, providing heating and cooling services to Easley, SC and the Upstate area for decades. Everything we do is driven by one thing: treating our customers like family. That means you can rely on quality products and exceptional service to keep your home and your family comfortable.
Energy efficiency ratings known as SEER (seasonal energy efficiency ratio) and EER (energy efficiency ratio) are traditionally used to measure your air conditioner’s ability to turn energy consumed into cooling output. The higher the number, the more efficient the unit. Seems pretty simple right?
However, there are a few quirks to both of these you need to understand. We’ll walk through them and help you better understand what each calculation measures, and when each one applies.
SEER is the ratio of cooling output over a typical (summer) cooling season, divided by the energy consumed in Watt-Hours. It is create using an average of varying outdoor temperatures, and a single constant indoor temperature. Scores can range from 8 to 30, although the current highest score on the market tops out in the mid-20’s.
The downside here is SEER can be misleading, applying only to a specific set of testing parameters applied regardless of where you actually live. If your state has an a-typical summer (Think southern California or Alaska) the SEER score is going to be inaccurate without an adjustment.
EER is an older standard, dating back to the mid-1970’s. Where SEER measures seasonal efficiency, EER measures overall efficiency as a constant; there are no seasonal adjustments in temperature averages or humidity.
Neither. SEER does a great job helping people understand seasonal energy use and efficiency measures, in areas where their climates closely match the temperature parameters. EER allows you to compare different units’ efficiency directly on a one-to-one basis, regardless of where you live. Both are useful, and both have a place in the decision-making process.
No problem! The professionals here at Climate Control are standing by, and ready to answer all your SEER and EER questions. Contact our team today and we’ll help you with all your energy efficiency needs.
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