The cost to heat and cool your home adds up to more than half of your utility bills. That’s why it’s imperative to look for a system that delivers quality comfort in your Columbus home while still ensuring energy efficient. Higher energy efficiency means your system is working well while using less energy. Whether you are looking into a replacement air conditioner or furnace or looking to upgrade your present equipment to be more energy efficient, there are some ratings to look out for that will help you during the search. So what exactly do those energy efficiency ratings represent?
SEER (used to measure cooling efficiency)
SEER stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio. The SEER rating considers the efficiency of your unit at different temperatures, or rather, seasonally in Columbus. A larger SEER rating indicates a larger energy efficiency, which will convert into lower utility bills. The Department of Energy expects a minimum 13 SEER-rating for cooler states in the north and a 14 SEER-rating minimum for warmer, southern states. If your home has an aged unit with a lower SEER-rating, you could see radical energy savings after an improvement.
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 created for every dollar of fuel expended. You can think of it as the MPG on your car. The higher the AFUE-rating, the less your energy costs. If your furnace has a AFUE rating of 80, that signifies that 80% of the heat created is used to heat the home, while 20% of the heat is lost through venting.
HSPF stands for the Heating Seasonal Performance Factor and is used to determine the heating effectiveness of heat pumps. It is the SEER rating for the colder months as it only keeps track of your unit’s heating efficiency. Like the others, the greater the number, the extra energy efficient the heat pump.
Wolfe & Sons Heating and Cooling in Columbus presents equipment with the highest energy efficiency ratings. If you are uncertain what the energy ratings are of the heating and cooling in your home we would be more than willing to help you become better informed to keep your home comfortable, while saving money. Give us a call at 614-451-0846 to arrange for an appointment with us.