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 find a system that provides excellent comfort in your Huntsville home while still remaining energy efficient. Greater energy efficiency means your system is working well while using less energy. Whether you are thinking about a replacement air conditioner or furnace or considering to upgrade your present 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 efficiency of your unit at different temperatures, meaning, seasonally in Huntsville. A higher SEER rating indicates a higher energy efficiency, which will convert into lower utility bills. The Department of Energy demands a minimum 13 SEER-rating for colder states in the north and a 14 SEER-rating minimum for hotter, southern states. If your home has an mature unit with a lower SEER-rating, you could see radical 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 generated for every dollar of fuel consumed. You can think of it as the MPG on your car. The larger the AFUE-rating, the smaller your energy costs. If your furnace has a AFUE rating of 80, that signifies that 80% of the heat generated is consumed to heat the home, while 20% of the heat is lost through venting.
HSPF stands for the Heating Seasonal Performance Factor and operates to determine the heating effectiveness of heat pumps. It is the SEER rating for the colder months as it only measures your unit’s heating efficiency. Again, the greater the number, the more energy efficient the heat pump.
All Weather Heating & Air Conditioning Inc in Huntsville presents equipment with the highest energy efficiency ratings. If you are hesitant what the energy ratings are of the heating and cooling in your home we would be more than willing to help you better comprehend to keep your home content, while saving money. Give us a call at 256-801-4701 to schedule an appointment with us.