The cost to heat and cool your home totals more than half of your utility bills. That’s why it’s imperative to look for a system that provides excellent comfort in your Front Royal home while still being energy efficient. Better energy efficiency means your system is doing more while using less energy. Whether you are looking into a replacement air conditioner or furnace or considering to upgrade your existing equipment to be more energy efficient, there are some ratings to look out for that will help you during the process. So what exactly do those energy efficiency ratings mean?
SEER (used to measure cooling efficiency)
SEER stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio. The SEER rating considers the effectiveness of your unit at different temperatures, meaning, seasonally in Front Royal. A higher SEER rating denotes a larger energy efficiency, which will convert into less expensive utility bills. The Department of Energy expects a minimum 13 SEER-rating for chillier states in the north and a 14 SEER-rating minimum for humid, southern states. If your home has an mature 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 finds the percentage of heat produced for every dollar of fuel used. You can think of it as the MPG on your car. The higher the AFUE-rating, the smaller your energy costs. If your furnace has a AFUE rating of 80, that signifies that 80% of the heat generated is used to heat the home, while 20% of the heat is wasted through venting.
HSPF stands for the Heating Seasonal Performance Factor and operates to determine the heating effectiveness of heat pumps. It is the SEER rating for the winter season as it only determines your unit’s heating effectiveness. Like the others, the higher the number, the more energy efficient the heat pump.
Dave's Diversified Services in Front Royal offers equipment with the highest energy efficiency ratings. If you are unsure what the energy ratings are of the equipment in your home we would be glad to help you become better informed to keep your home comfortable, while saving money. Give us a call at 540-636-3396 to arrange for an appointment with us.