Most people think all air conditioners are alike, but did you know there are air conditioner ratings? Obviously, air conditioners come in different sizes with varying efficiencies, but they also have ratings that are given by the federal government.
Air conditioner rating lets you know the overall efficiency of your air conditioner. A higher rating essentially means it wastes less energy than those with a lower rating.
Air Conditioner Ratings Explained
Regardless of whether you are buying a small air conditioner that sits in your window or an entire unit for the whole house, the air conditioner ratings are still important.
Energy Efficiency Ratio Rating (EER)
The EER is what rates the capacity of your air conditioner to cool the room. It’s measured in BTUs or British Thermal Units. The higher the rating, the more efficient the air conditioner will perform.
It measures the BTUs during operation but only while it has been running for a while. It doesn’t measure the start-up or shut down period. The EER rating is most often used for smaller portable air conditioners.
Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio Rating (SEER)
The SEER rating can help you determine your air conditioner’s efficiency and resulting operating costs. It basically measures the cooling output and how much energy it takes to do that.
Unlike the EER air conditioner rating, which measures its ability to cool the air at a standard 95 °F outside temperature, the SEER measures the expected energy efficiency for the whole season.
The higher rating for air conditioners refers to their energy efficiency. One with a higher rating performs better but the ability to cool faster or better is not affected. Just the results on your energy bill.
Energy Star Rating
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. The Department of Energy started the Energy Star Program to promote products like air conditioning systems that are better for the environment by using less energy and saving the consumer money.
An Energy Star on your new air conditioner means it has passed the EPA guidelines for high-efficiency performance and exceeds the minimum government standards.
These air conditioner ratings mean they can help to reduce energy costs by at least 30%. The Energy Star rating allows homeowners to easily compare the difference in energy consumption between similar products.
Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value Rating (MERV)
A MERV air conditioner rating refers to the size of the holes in a cooling system’s air filters that allow air to pass through. The air conditioner filters remove contaminants such as dust, fiber, pollen, and mold spores from the air circulating through the system.
Filters with higher MERV ratings will trap these particles much better. Residential and commercial buildings usually use air conditioners with 9 to 12 MERV ratings.
Sound Ratings
Air conditioner ratings also measure the amount of noise the unit makes. This is measured by a decibel rating or a Sound Rating Number (SRN). For a less noisy unit, look for an SRN of around 35 to 40 decibels.
Air Conditioner Ratings
If you need more information about air conditioners or their ratings, follow this link or contact us directly. Call us if you need a new air conditioner, repairs, or an inspection.
Beebe Heating and Air Conditioning are your Kansas City installation and repair specialists. Our professional technicians are dedicated to always respecting your time and value you as one of our customers.
Regardless of the cooling or heating services you need, we provide each customer with a 100% guarantee for the HVAC work we do.