The cost to heat and cool your home totals more than half of your utility bills. That’s why it’s imperative to look for a system that offers superior comfort in your Lafayette home while still ensuring energy efficient. Higher energy efficiency means your system is working well while using less energy. Whether you are looking into a replacement air conditioner or furnace or thinking to upgrade your present equipment to be more energy efficient, there are some ratings to know that will help you during the process. 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 takes into consideration the effectiveness of your unit at different temperatures, in other words, seasonally in Lafayette. A greater SEER rating denotes a greater energy efficiency, which will turn into lower utility bills. The Department of Energy requires 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 older unit with a lower SEER-rating, you could see extreme energy savings after an upgrade.
AFUE or HSPF (used to measure heating efficiency: gas or electric)
AFUE stands for Annualized Fuel Utilization Efficiency ratio and it finds the percentage of heat generated for every dollar of fuel expended. You can look at it as the MPG on your car. The greater the AFUE-rating, the smaller 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 misplaced through venting.
HSPF stands for the Heating Seasonal Performance Factor and operates to measure the heating efficiency of heat pumps. It is the SEER rating for winter as it only keeps track of your unit’s heating efficiency. Similarly, the higher the number, the extra energy efficient the heat pump.
AC Sales in Lafayette offers equipment with the best energy efficiency ratings. If you are unsure what the energy ratings are of the system in your home we would be more than willing to help you become better informed to keep your home content, while saving money. Give us a call at (337) 234-2345 to arrange for an appointment with us.
