January 10, 2017
More than half of your utility bills in Franklin & South Indy can be attributed to the cost to heat and cool your home. To save as much money as you can, you should find a system that can deliver home comfort as efficiently as possible. The better your system’s energy efficiency, the more your system is doing while using less energy. If you’re looking to upgrade or replace your HVAC equipment, you should understand certain terms and ratings to be fully informed and get the best energy efficiency possible.
SEER (used to measure cooling efficiency)
The Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio, or SEER, rating assesses the cooling efficiency of your equipment at varying temperatures. Higher SEER ratings denote better energy efficiency, and therefore, more affordable utility bills. For colder northern states, The Department of Energy requires a minimum 13 SEER rating. Warmer, southern states must must have a SEER rating of 14 or higher. If your unit has a smaller SEER-rating, an upgrade could bring you a valuable spike in energy savings.
AFUE or HSPF (used to measure heating efficiency: gas or electric)
Annualized Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE) ratio identifies the percentage of heat produced for every dollar of fuel used—similar the miles per gallon you get from your car. Higher AFUE ratings usually mean lower energy costs. So, an AFUE rating of 80 means that 80% of the heat created by your furnace is heating your home, and 20% of the heat is escaping through venting.
The Heating Seasonal Performance Factor (HSPF) measures the heating efficiency of heat pumps. It is in essence the SEER rating for winter since it measures only heating efficiency. Like the other ratings, higher numbers denote better energy efficiency.
At Winters Heating and Cooling, you’ll find equipment with the best energy efficiency ratings. We can help you find out the energy efficiency of your present equipment and help you find ways to improve on it and save money—whether with continued maintenance or with up-to-date, more efficient equipment. Just call us at 317-406-5382 to schedule an appointment with us.