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Everyone wants to improve their home’s energy efficiency. Why wouldn’t we? Saving money, using less energy, and saving Mother Earth are all good things. But it can be confusing when it comes to our heating and cooling systems. Here’s a basic guide to how the efficiency of your HVAC system is measured: <\/p>\n
SEER stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio and it is how cooling systems are rated based on their efficiency. It shows the electrical output needed by the cooling system compared to the amount of cooling the system generates. The higher the SEER rating, the more efficient the cooling system is. <\/p>\n
AFUE is Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency and is the way furnaces and boilers are measured based on their energy efficiency over the course of a typical year. The minimum rating for a furnace is 78% and the minimum for a boiler is 80%, although some systems these days are significantly more efficient, up to 98%, depending on the type and the fuel used. <\/p>\n
The efficiency rating of your HVAC system is important because it can effect how effective your system is at heating and cooling your home, but more importantly, it affects your energy use and your monthly utility bills. You can find the rating of your current system online with the brand, model, and serial number, or by calling the manufacturer. If your system is more than 10 years old, you might consider upgrading to a more efficient model to save money long term on your energy use. <\/p>\n