SEER Rating and Efficiency

When shopping for a new air conditioning unit, you will hear a lot about SEER rating and efficiency. The SEER rating is what gauges the efficiency of your a/c unit. The more efficient the air conditioner is, the less energy it will take to cool your home. Not only does that mean that your a/c unit doesn't have to work as hard, it results in a lower electric bill. However, since the higher the SEER rating – the higher the cost of the unit – it is important to determine what SEER is best for your home.

The U.S. Department of Energy has declared that a/c units installed in homes in the Southeastern part of the country have a minimum of 14 SEER. So here in Myrtle Beach that is where we start. Of course, several tax incentives are available for units that are 15 SEER or higher.

How to find your SEER rating – on most a/c units, there is a yellow sticker labeled "Energy Guide" that displays the SEER rating. It is also listed near the top of the unit's manufacturer label where the model and serial number are.

As we said, higher SEER models are more expensive. The ideal balance for your home will depend on where you live and how often you use the air conditioning. For example, having a 25 SEER system in Minneapolis where you would turn on your unit a few days a year, doesn’t make sense.

So many things will factor in to your choosing: the size of your home, the size of the a/c system, how long you anticipate living in your home, your regional climate and how often you expect to run your a/c. Call us at LHT Cooling, Heating & Refrigeration, Inc. – we can help you with all those decisions!