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Understand SEER Rating Before Making a Purchase

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  • Understand SEER Rating Before Making a Purchase

28 Aug

Understand SEER Rating Before Making a Purchase

During any consultation with an HVAC salesman, the topic of SEER rating will come up. SEER stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Rating and basically refers to how energy-efficient the system is. With monthly energy costs being a large part of our living expense, it is extremely important to look for a unit that will run as cost-effective as possible.

SEER rating can also be thought of like 'miles per gallon' that you get in your car. The higher the number, the more energy-efficient and cost effective it will be to run. In Canada, currently the minimum SEER rating allowed on the market is 10 and you will see them available up to about 17. If you have conducted any research on heating and cooling units, you will have heard of the Energy Star qualification. In order for a unit to be eligible for Energy Star certification, it must carry a SEER rating of 12 or greater for a single package unit, or 13 for a split system.

If your heating or cooling unit is over 10 years old, it probably has a SEER rating between 7 and 10. Age, corrosion and general wear and tear will reduce a unit's SEER over time.

When your HVAC professional is recommending a new heating or cooling unit for your home, the design and square footage of your space will be the deciding factor for the size of product you need. Secondary to the size will be the SEER rating. Purchasing a unit with the highest SEER rating you can afford is good advice - it could very well save you huge money over the life of your new unit. For example, if your current system carries a SEER rating of 10, upgrading to a unit with a SEER rating of 13 could save you up to 38% of energy costs per year. If you upgraded to a SEER rating of 16, you could see savings up to 50% annually. The savings over the life of the new unit could very well pay for itself.

So, when considering the extra cost a higher SEER heating or cooling unit sells for, consider just how much more energy-efficient it is and how much savings you will receive.

At 4 Seasons Heating, Cooling & Electrical our team is extremely knowledgable and trained to make these types of recommendations to you. We offer free, in-home, no-obligation consultations and are a family-operated business. We are backed by the HRAI and BBB and are held to the highest industry standards for quality and service. To speak to a salesman about any of your heating, cooling or hot water needs, call us at (204) 953-5700 or request a call online at http://servicemyhome.ca/appointment.html