One of the best ways to care for your family, protect the environment, and save your wallet all at the same time is to invest in high efficiency HVAC. Ultimately, the greater the efficiency, the greater the energy savings. That being said, it can be hard to know what brands and units that will be the most effective in your home. That’s why the Air Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute of North America has created labelling systems so that you know exactly how efficient your HVAC system will be. When it comes to efficiency ratings, there are two acronyms you need to know:
SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) is a measure of air conditioner efficiency. The number is determined by taking the cooling output during a typical cooling-season and dividing it by the total electric energy input during the same period. Math aside, all you really need to know is that the higher the SEER number, the greater the efficiency. Today, Canadian regulatory bodies require all new products to have a 13.0 SEER rating or better.
AFUE (Annual Fuel Utilisation Efficiency) is the measure of furnace efficiency. This value reflects how much heat the furnace will provide compared to the amount of energy needed to produce the heat. For example, an AFUE rating of 70% means that 30% of energy used is lost and 70% becomes heat for your home.
When perusing the labels, keep in mind:
- Your budget for a new unit
- Your budget for monthly bills
- If you or anyone else in your home have respiratory issues
- The size of your home
All of these factors will need to be considered when choosing the perfect HVAC system for your home. The key to high efficiency is keeping an eye on those labels and having expert HVAC professionals to come in to offer unique advice for your unique home. If you’re ready to take the leap into high efficiency HVAC, give our team a call today for an in-home consultation!
