The cost to heat and cool your home totals more than half of your utility bills. That’s why it’s crucial to look for a system that offers superior comfort in your Hodgenville home while still being energy efficient. Better energy efficiency means your system is doing more while using less energy. Whether you are thinking about a replacement air conditioner or furnace or looking to upgrade your existing equipment to be more energy efficient, there are some ratings to look out for that will help you during the procedure. So what exactly do those energy efficiency ratings mean?
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 Hodgenville. 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 hotter, southern states. If your home has an mature 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 keeps track of the percentage of heat generated for every dollar of fuel expended. You can consider it as the MPG on your car. The larger 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 lost through venting.
HSPF stands for the Heating Seasonal Performance Factor and operates to determine the heating efficiency of heat pumps. It is the SEER rating for winter as it only keeps track of your unit’s heating productivity. Like the others, the greater the number, the more energy efficient the heat pump.
Phelps Heating & Cooling in Hodgenville offers equipment with the best energy efficiency ratings. If you are hesitant what the energy ratings are of the heating and cooling in your home we would be more than willing to help you better understand to keep your home comfortable, while saving money. Give us a call at 270-358-3167 to set up an appointment with us.