How Energy Efficiency Ratings Affect Savings
Energy-efficient heating and cooling products make home comfort more affordable. Understanding efficiency ratings is an important first step in choosing the system that’s right for you. Let’s decipher the standards used to measure the efficiency of furnaces, air conditioners and heat pumps, and how they impact your monthly utility bill:
Furnaces: If you have an older furnace, you could save considerably on your heating bill by upgrading to a higher-efficiency model – start by checking out the AFUE rating.
Standard measurement of efficiency for gas and oil-fired furnaces
Tells you how much of your fuel is used to heat your home and how much is wasted
The higher the rating, the greater the efficiency
Minimum required rating is 78%
Many manufacturers offer a full line of furnaces with AFUE ratings of up to 98.3%
Air Conditioners and Heat Pumps: Upgrading to high-efficiency heat pumps and air conditioners requires an initial investment, but you’ll quickly see payback in the form of lower, annual utility bills for the life of your system. To compare the efficiency of these products, look for two numbers –SEER rating for cooling, and if you’re considering a heat pump, HSPF for heating.
Standard measurement of efficiency for the cooling process of air conditioners and heat pumps
The higher the number, the greater the efficiency
Minimum required SEER rating is 13
Many manufacturers of residential cooling systems have units with SEER ratings of up to 20.5
Standard measurement of the efficiency of the heating mode of heat pumps
The higher the number, the greater the efficiency
Minimum required HSPF rating is 7.7
Many manufacturers of residential heating and cooling systems make heat pumps with HSPF ratings from up to
13.0
Cost Savings: Upgrading to high-efficiency heat pumps and air conditioners requires an initial investment, but you’ll quickly see payback in the form of lower, annual utility bills for the life of your system.
An additional factor that affects the efficiency of your system is your indoor coil (also called an evaporator coil). In order to maximize SEER and HSPF ratings and ensure proper performance, your air conditioner or heat pump unit must be matched with the correct indoor coil. When you replace an existing system, make sure you consider replacing the indoor coil so you get the most efficient performance.
Universal air and Heat only sells and installs matched heating and cooling system components in accordance with manufacturer specifications.
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