Everything You Need To Know About SEER Ratings
Sweltering summers aren’t fun anywhere, but they’re especially harsh under the blazing Arizona sun. Your AC system lets you maintain comfortable indoor temperatures, but how does that impact your energy usage? A unit’s Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) rating shows you how well your AC system works and helps you make better decisions when you’re upgrading or replacing your HVAC system.
In this guide, we’ll cover:
- What SEER2 ratings are
- The difference between SEER and SEER2
- Why SEER2 ratings matter for Arizona homeowners
- How SEER2 ratings impact energy savings and costs
- Choosing the right SEER2 rating for your HVAC system
This guide includes all the information above, helping you understand everything you need to know about SEER2 ratings. Use this information to choose the most energy-efficient system when you want to make your home more comfortable and sustainable.
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What Are SEER Ratings?
SEER ratings — or Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio ratings — measure how efficiently air conditioners and heat pumps cool the air throughout a typical cooling season. Companies determine this rating by dividing cooling output during a cooling season by the total amount of electricity used in the same timeframe. Our Lennox systems with higher SEER2 ratings offer more energy-efficient cooling, which can lower your bills and reduce environmental impact.
SEER vs. SEER2: What’s the Difference?
SEER2 ratings came into play during 2023 as part of updated energy-efficiency standards, with the primary difference in rating determination. The updated ratings use new testing methods that more accurately simulate real-world conditions, so they’re often lower than their SEER counterparts. This difference lies in how SEER ratings represent peak efficiency and SEER2 reflects performance closer to everyday conditions by showcasing standard operating efficiency.
Why SEER Ratings Matter for Arizona Homeowners
Temperatures in Arizona regularly top the 100°F marker — and often even rise above it. If extreme heat has your AC system working overtime to cool your space, consider your SEER rating. Keep in mind you need to choose a unit with a minimum SEER rating for 2024. Regulations changed on Jan. 1, 2023, which meant new AC and heat pump installations in Arizona must meet a minimum SEER2 rating of 14.3 for systems under 45,000 BTU and 13.8 for those above 45,000 BTU. Designed to reduce energy consumption, these new standards also aim to help homeowners save money on runaway cooling costs.
How SEER Ratings Impact Energy Savings and Costs
A model with the right SEER2 rating can significantly affect your energy costs — let’s take a look at a 14 SEER vs. a 16 SEER AC system to demonstrate. Say you’re looking at a 16 SEER2 unit that costs more upfront than a comparable 14 SEER2 model. A 16 SEER2 unit should use roughly 12 to 13% less energy than a 14 SEER2 unit when providing the same amount of cooling. Though this difference may seem small, it can lead to noticeable savings when your utility bill arrives, which makes the higher upfront costs of the 16 SEER unit more affordable over the long term.
As a proud Lennox Premier Dealer and Partner of the Year, Champion Air helps you compare expected savings against specific units and older units down to 10 SEER. When you want to take a look yourself, use this handy energy savings calculator by Lennox, and enter Arizona-specific electricity costs to get highly accurate comparisons for informed decision-making when you’re ready to replace your AC system.
Choosing the Right SEER Rating for Your HVAC System
Select the right SEER2 rating for your HVAC season by considering factors like your budget, your home’s layout and size, and your long-term energy savings goals. While higher SEER2 ratings come at a premium, they can help you cool your home more efficiently and affordably. Likewise, larger homes require more cooling power, so models with higher SEER2 ratings make sense. Reduced energy consumption also makes models with high SEER2 ratings a great choice when you want a sustainable cooling option.
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