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 search for a system that delivers quality comfort in your Lexington home while still ensuring energy efficient. Better energy efficiency means your system is working well while using less energy. Whether you are looking into a replacement air conditioner or furnace or looking to upgrade your current equipment to be more energy efficient, there are some ratings to be aware of that will help you during the procedure. So what exactly do those energy efficiency ratings mean?
SEER (used to measure cooling efficiency)
SEER stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio. The SEER rating takes into consideration the competence of your unit at different temperatures, or rather, seasonally in Lexington. A higher SEER rating indicates a higher energy efficiency, which will convert into smaller utility bills. The Department of Energy demands a minimum 13 SEER-rating for cooler states in the north and a 14 SEER-rating minimum for hotter, southern states. If your home has an older unit with a lower SEER-rating, you could see extreme energy savings after an upgrade.
AFUE or HSPF (used to measure heating efficiency: gas or electric)
AFUE stands for Annualized Fuel Utilization Efficiency ratio and it finds the percentage of heat generated for every dollar of fuel expended. You can think of it as the MPG on your car. The greater the AFUE-rating, the less your energy costs. If your furnace has a AFUE rating of 80, that signifies that 80% of the heat generated is used to heat the home, while 20% of the heat is misplaced through venting.
HSPF stands for the Heating Seasonal Performance Factor and works to determine the heating efficiency of heat pumps. It is the SEER rating for the winter season as it only keeps track of your unit’s heating effectiveness. Like the others, the greater the number, the greater energy efficient the heat pump.
James Heating & A/C, Inc in Lexington presents equipment with the best energy efficiency ratings. If you are hesitant what the energy ratings are of the system in your home we would be more than willing to help you become better informed to keep your home comfortable, while saving money. Give us a call at 336-853-6070 to schedule an appointment with us.