SEER Numbers are Used to Rate Air Conditioners

Well, they just don’t make ’em like they used to anymore.

How many times have we heard people remark on how things used to be made better in the past?  There is at least one thing that is made better today- air conditioners.  According to the US Department of Energy:

“Today’s best air conditioners use 30% to 50% less energy to produce the same amount of cooling as air conditioners made in the mid 1970s. Even if your air conditioner is only 10 years old, you may save 20% to 40% of your cooling energy costs by replacing it with a newer, more efficient model.” (Energy.gov)

Air conditioners are rated according to their energy efficiency.  This rating is called a SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) number.  The higher the SEER rating, the more efficient the air conditioner is.  Newer air conditioners have much higher SEER ratings than older ones do.  In January 2006, the US government passed a law requiring all air conditioners manufactured after that date to have a minimum SEER rating of at least 13.  But, if you have an air conditioner from before then, your rating could be much lower.  In 2015, the requirements became even stricter in some states.

Along with the price, the SEER number is the most important number to consider when investing in an air conditioner.  Higher efficiency air conditioners will offer great savings over time.  Even if you don’t think you need a new a/c yet because yours is still working, remember that older air conditioners are much less efficient.  Typically an air conditioner lives around 15-20 years.

We may lament the fact that houses don’t seem to be as sturdy as they used to be and department stores don’t look as glamorous, but the air conditioner is one thing that we’ve definitely improved upon.  To learn more about the SEER ratings of various air conditioners, contact FLAME!