If you’re looking to replace the air conditioner in your Lawton area home, you’re probably looking for the most cost-effective and efficient option available. SEER ratings offer a measured standard for energy efficiency and can be a good way to guide you through the process of getting an AC replacement.
At Pippin Brothers, we offer high-performance installation of a wide variety of cooling systems, many of which come with high SEER ratings. Our NCI and NATE-certified HVAC technicians can help find the best choice for cooling that meets your energy-saving goals, budget, and the specific needs of your home.
Here’s everything you need to know about SEER ratings, what they mean, and how they impact your whole home system.
What Is SEER?
Developed by the U.S. Department of Energy, SEER—which stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Rating—measures cooling system efficiency over a typical cooling system. This not only helps you compare air conditioners and heat pumps, but helps you understand their expected performance and lifespan as well.
It is important to note the first word, seasonal, because SEER is the measurement of a cooling system’s efficiency rated over the entire cooling season. Here’s what the calculation looks like:
Cooling Output (heat removed from the air in BBTUs)
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Energy Input (energy required from cooling system in Watt-Hours)
The SEER Scale
The higher a cooling system is rated on the SEER scale, the more efficient it will be throughout the cooling season. Most modern air conditioners and heat pumps have an average SEER rating somewhere between 15-18, and a rating above 20 is considered high-efficiency. In Comanche County, the minimum SEER rating for an air conditioner or heat pump is 15.
SEER Ratings Are Now SEER2
As of January 1, 2023, the Department of Energy adapted how air conditioners and heat pumps are rated on the SEER scale. The regulations now require additional testing that reflects real-world use and take several new factors into consideration, including:
- Quality of installation
- Ductwork
- Static Pressure
The new SEER2 standards slightly lower the ratings for most cooling systems, but systems installed prior to January 2023 are grandfathered into the old SEER scale. The Comanche County minimum SEER2 rating is 14.3.
Thinking Beyond SEER with Pippin Brothers
While SEER is a great tool to use in your quest for a new, more efficient air conditioner for your Lawton, Duncan, or Fort Sill home, it should not be the only one. That’s why it’s important to work with a high-quality and experienced HVAC contractor, like Pippin Brothers. In addition to high-performance cooling system installation, our team can also help lower the out-of-pocket cost of your investment and save on installation with our flexible financing and incentives.
Our team also takes a whole-home approach to help you save on cooling costs, feel more comfortable, and more. Here are some of the factors we take into consideration on every installation:
- Proper Sizing – Bigger is not always better. A cooling system that is too small or too large won’t perform as well as it should.
- Your Home – If your home lacks adequate insulation or has major air leaks, it will greatly affect the efficiency of your new air conditioner.
- Smart Home Systems – Installing additional items like programmable thermostats and zoning systems can increase the lifespan of your unit and its energy efficiency.