Heating & Cooling 101
What You Need To Know About The Efficiency Ratings Of Your HVAC Equipment
When you want the best heating and cooling system, there are important industry standards that should be considered. For example, the efficiency ratings of your HVAC equipment will greatly impact the amount of energy needed to heat or cool your home. Additionally, when you choose heating and air conditioning equipment that has excellent efficiency ratings, the reduction in energy consumption will also mean lower utility bills each month. At O’Quinn Heating and Air Conditioning, our trained service technicians have the expertise to help you choose the best products for your home.
Air Conditioning and Heat Pumps
The measure of your heat pump or air conditioner’s efficiency to cool is known as SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio). HVAC equipment with a higher SEER rating will provide greater energy efficiency, which means more cost savings for you. Today, all new air conditioners and heat pumps must have a SEER rating of 13.0 or higher. All Carrier air conditioners have SEER ratings of at least 13.0 and extending up to 21.
Furnaces
The measure for furnaces that operate with gas will use a standard measurement for efficiency known as AFUE (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency). This measurement is given in percentages and allows you to easily see how much of the fuel used in operating the equipment will be actually used to keep your home warm and how much is just wasted. A higher AFUE rating means better efficiency. At O’Quinn Heating and Air Conditioning, we offer a complete line of quality furnaces all with AFUE ratings that meet industry minimum requirements of 78% to those that exceed 96%.
Replacing your current heating system might not seem necessary, especially if it is still reliably heating your home, but it is important to also consider the efficiency of your equipment. For example, if you have a home with an older furnace and it has an AFUE of 60%, by simply replacing it with a more efficient furnace, you could see a 40% savings on your heating bills. Clearly, the cost of replacing your older and less efficient furnace can be recovered through utility bills that are much lower than you are currently paying.
Heat Pumps
The efficiency measurement for the heating mode of your heat pump is referred to as HSPF (Heating Seasonal Performance Factor). Like other efficiency measurement ratings, the higher the number, the greater the efficiency of the equipment and the more cost saving benefits you will experience. Today, heat pumps are required to have an HSPF rating of 6.8. Bartlett is proud to offer heat pumps with 6.8 to 9.5 HSPF ratings.
Cost Savings. Air conditioners and heat pumps with higher energy efficiency ratings typically mean you will be able to enjoy a significant decrease in your utility bills. When you live in an area that has a warm or humid climate, chances are the cost of a new high efficiency heat pump or air conditioner will be offset in a matter of a few years through the savings you will see in lowered utility bills. Of course, even after you have recovered the initial cost of purchasing new equipment, your high efficiency equipment will still be able to continue providing savings on your utility bills month after month.
Optimum Efficiency Requires Matching Your Indoor Coil to Your Equipment
The efficiency of your heat pump or air conditioner will be affected by your indoor coil. If you have a condensing unit that is not properly matched with your indoor coil, you might not get the HSPF and/or SEER ratings your equipment was designed to deliver. When replacing HVAC equipment, be sure to replace both units so that you can enjoy the very best efficiency, performance and comfort.
When considering new HVAC equipment O’Quinn Heating and Air Conditioning is here to help. We offer high efficiency furnaces, air conditioners and heat pumps in the Middle Georgia area. Give O’Quinn Heating and Air conditioning a call at 478-781-7922.