The cost to heat and cool your home makes up more than half of your utility bills. That’s why it’s so important to look for a system that delivers excellent comfort in your Lincoln home while still being energy efficient. Higher energy efficiency means your system is doing more while using less energy. Whether you are looking into 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 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, meaning, seasonally in Lincoln. A greater SEER rating indicates a larger energy efficiency, which will turn into smaller utility bills. The Department of Energy expects a minimum 13 SEER-rating for chillier states in the north and a 14 SEER-rating minimum for warmer, southern states. If your home has an mature unit with a lower SEER-rating, you could see extreme energy savings after an modern system.
AFUE or HSPF (used to measure heating efficiency: gas or electric)
AFUE stands for Annualized Fuel Utilization Efficiency ratio and it measures the percentage of heat produced for every dollar of fuel used. You can think of it as the MPG on your car. The larger the AFUE-rating, the less your energy costs. If your furnace has a AFUE rating of 80, that signifies that 80% of the heat produced is consumed to heat the home, while 20% of the heat is wasted through venting.
HSPF stands for the Heating Seasonal Performance Factor and is used to determine the heating productivity of heat pumps. It is the SEER rating for the colder months as it only determines your unit’s heating effectiveness. Similarly, the greater the number, the more energy efficient the heat pump.
AW Heating & Air Conditioning in Lincoln offers equipment with the greatest energy efficiency ratings. If you are unsure what the energy ratings are of the equipment in your home we would be glad to help you better understand to keep your home comfy, while saving money. Give us a call at 402-438-7992 to arrange for an appointment with us.