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 look for a system that provides quality comfort in your Huffman home while still ensuring energy efficiency. Higher energy efficiency means your system is doing more while using less energy. Whether you are thinking about a replacement air conditioner or furnace or thinking to upgrade your existing 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 indicate?
SEER (used to measure cooling efficiency)
SEER stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio. The SEER rating reflects the efficiency of your unit at different temperatures, in other words, seasonally in Huffman. A larger SEER rating indicates a larger energy efficiency, which will translate into smaller utility bills. The Department of Energy demands a minimum of 13 SEER-rating for colder states in the north and a 14 SEER-rating minimum for hotter, southern states. If your home has an aged unit with a lower SEER rating, you could see radical energy savings after a 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 greater the AFUE rating, the less your energy costs. If your furnace has an AFUE rating of 80, that denotes that 80% of the heat produced is used to heat the home, while 20% of the heat is misplaced through venting.
HSPF stands for the Heating Seasonal Performance Factor and is used to measure the heating productivity of heat pumps. It is the SEER rating for the winter season as it only keeps track of your unit’s heating productivity. Again, the greater the number, the greater the energy efficiency of the heat pump.
Air Houston Mechanical LLC in Huffman offers equipment with the highest energy efficiency ratings. If you are uncertain what the energy ratings are of the heating and cooling in your home, we would be happy to help you become better informed to keep your home content, while saving money. Give us a call at (832) 957-9332 to set up an appointment with us.
