In today’s world, energy efficiency and environmentally safe are two of of the most sought after recommendations for any product. And with good reason.
For a number of years, the HVAC (heating, ventilation and cooling) industry has been on the cutting edge of developing systems which are more energy efficient and environmentally friendly.
How Efficient is Your System?
For instance, if your home is more than a few years old, chances are your home’s comfort system isn’t as energy efficient as it could be. The energy efficiency of today’s heating and cooling systems has evolved to the point where a five year old system, even though it is working as it’s designed to, isn’t as energy efficient as today’s newer models.
If your home is ten years old or older, and the HVAC system hasn’t been replaced in the recent past, you most likely have a comfort system with a SEER level of 10 or below. In the state of Alabama, today’s new comfort systems are required to have SEER levels of at least 14.
What Does Seer Mean?
What does SEER mean, and how can you tell what your system’s SEER level is? The Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) measures air conditioning and heat pump cooling efficiency, which is calculated by the cooling output for a typical cooling season divided by the total electric energy input during the same time frame. A higher SEER rating means greater energy efficiency. If your home’s comfort system has a SEER level of 10, and you were to replace it with a new system with a SEER level of 20, your home’s HVAC system would become two times more efficient.
That does not mean that your heating and cooling bills would be cut in half, but it does mean that since your new system is twice as efficient, your utility bills would be noticeably less, sometimes as much as 50% less if you replace a your old 10 SEER unit with a 20 SEER Energy Efficient unit.
Determining Your Current SEER Level
How can you determine what your homes’ comfort system’s SEER level is? It might be as easy as looking on the side of your AC unit to get the information. If the SEER level isn’t written on the manufacturer’s placard on the unit, you can take a photo of your unit’s model number with your smartphone, or simply write down the manufacturer’s name and model number on a sheet of paper and search for it on the internet.
If you cannot determine what the SEER level of your home’s HVAC system is, simply get the manufacture’s name and model number off of the unit and call Garrison and Garrison. We’ll be happy to look it up for you. Our number is 256-859-8500.
Today’s energy efficient comfort systems do more than just save you money on your utility bills. They are also better for the environment. Today’s energy efficient systems are also environmentally sound, and use chlorine-free Puron® Refrigerant which replaces R-22 refrigerant. Puron Refrigerant is not only environmentally sound, but is also more efficient.
Contact Us
If you have questions about whether or not your homes comfort system is as efficient as it should be, call Garrison and Garrison Heating and Air.
Garrison and Garrison is an award winning licensed and insured HVAC dealer, serving Huntsville and the Tennessee Valley for more than 45 years. Feel free to contact us at any time concerning your home’s comfort system. You can email us at [email protected] or call us at 256-859-8500. Visit our website at www.garrisonandgarrison.com
