SEER vs EER Understand What SEER is, What EER

is and When to Use Each.

We often get asked questions about SEER ratings, but those that have done
a little research know that EER is also a useful means of measuring an air
conditioners efficiency, which leads one to ask the question, when looking
at SEER vs EER, which do you choose? If youve read some of our articles,
you know that we are straight shooters and have no loyalty to any specific
company on means of measurement. In short, we are unbiased. But when it
comes to SEER vs EER, there are some very specific instances in which to
use each. Both SEER and EER are measurements of an air conditioners
energy efficiency and are given as a value ranging from around 8 (such as
SEER-8) and 30 (such as EER-16). The higher an air conditioners SEER or
EER rating is then the more energy efficient the unit. In this article, we will
explain what SEER is, what EER is, and finally when to use SEER vs EER.

Before Discussing SEER vs EER, We FirstNeed to

Ask What is SEER, and What is EER?
What is SEER?

Before tackling SEER vs EER lets take a look at each individually, starting
with SEER. SEER stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio and is the
most common way to evaluate an air conditioners efficiency. Now it is
important to understand that this is only a measure of cooling power, and
applies to air conditioning.
An air conditioners SEER rating is

the
ratio of the cooling output of an HVAC unit
over a typical cooling season (measured in British Thermal Units, or BTUs),
divided by the energy consumed in Watt-Hours. It is the averageover a cooling
season, and is calculated using a constant indoor temperature and varying
outdoor temperatures ranging from the 60s to over 100 degrees. SEER also
uses average US household energy expenditures in its calculation. A units
SEER value is displayed on its Energy Guide Tag (left) as a number ranging
from around 8 to 30, although right now there are few air conditioning units
more efficient than about SEER-23. So for instance, an air conditioner with a
value of SEER-23 will be far more efficient than a unit with a rating of SEER14.
For more about SEER, check out Wiki: Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio.

Do You Live in Santa Clarita,

Washington? The Problem With SEER.

California

or

Seattle,

SEER can, however, be misleading. What people often dont realize is that
SEER is a ratio that only applies to a very specific set of test perimeters which
cover a pre-set temperature range. The problem with this is that when SEER
is calculated it is calculated across the same universal range, regardless of
where the person who is purchasing the air conditioner lives. Ask yourself,
when was the last time that it was 65 degrees in the summer if you live in
Santa Clarita, California? Probably a lot less likely than if you live in Lake
Arrowhead or worse yet, Seattle, Washington. So although SEER is a
universal measure of efficiency, it can be misleading in the sense that the
average temperature range in Santa Clarita is far different from the average

summer temperatures in Bozeman, Montana, but yet the same SEER rating
would be on the tag in each.

How to Calculate Your Equivalent SEER Rating for Your Climate Zone.

As a guideline, SEER is calculated across a wide temperature range but the

average of that range is about 83 degrees. If 83 degrees is the average
summer temperature for your area, then an AC units SEER value is spot on
for your home (and I envy you). If your area is hotter, however, then subtract
2 points from a units SEER rating for every ten degrees above 83 that is the
average temperature for your area. For instance, in Santa Clarita an average
summer temperature might be 93 degrees. This would mean that an HVAC
unit with a SEER rating of SEER-14 would have an equivalent rating of SEER12 in Santa Clarita.
93 83 = 10
+10 = 2 SEER points
SEER-14 rating 2 SEER points = SEER-12 rating, or the equivalent SEER
rating calculated for your climate area.

How Important is SEER Rating?

After calculating the equivalent SEER rating for your area, you can take a look
at how much energy a high SEER rating can save you:

As you can see, paying for an air

conditioner with a SEER value of SEER-23 over the lifetime of the unit will
save you about $8,500 in electricity costs over the lifetime of your unit as
compared to an older unit that has a rating of SEER-8. Since 2006, the
Federal Government requires a minimum SEER rating of SEER-13 for all new
air conditioners, but an older AC might be lower. Lennox has a useful
calculator that will tell you how much money you can save by upgrading to a
newer air conditioner from an older SEER-10 unit. This calculator is only an
estimate, of course, and one thing I dont like about it is that you cant enter in
a starting SEER value it instead assumes that your start value is SEER10. Just enter in the new SEER value and it will calculate your 5, 10 and 15year energy-expense savings:
Lennox SEER Energy Calculator.

For more information on how to lower your air conditioning costs, try:
How to Lower Your Electric Bill in the Summer.

What is EER?

Again, before tackling the question of when you should use SEER or EER,
you need to know what each of them is. EER stands for Energy Efficiency
Ratio, and is actually an older means of calculating energy efficiency than
SEER, having been used since 1975. Like SEER, an air conditioners EER
rating is a means of measuring an air conditioners efficiency, but where SEER
is a means of measuring seasonal efficiency ratings, an HVAC systems EER
is more of a constant. Simply put, EER is more of an engineering number,
than a marketing number, and will probably be used by an HVAC
technician. EER values are also often encountered when looking at smaller

window AC units for which calculating a SEER value would be

impractical. EER is calculated using a constant outside temperature of 95
degrees, a constant inside temperature of 80 degrees and a humidity level of
50%. No seasonal temperature changes are factored into a units EER rating.

The Advantages of an Air Conditioners EER Rating.

If you read the section on a units SEER value, then you know that SEER is a
good approximation of a units efficiency if the average summer temperature
in your area is around 83 degrees, but can be misleading if you live in
Southern California or the South. Conversely, an EER value is an objective,
set standard that can be used to directly compare two air conditioning units
without worrying about the seasonal changes in your area. For instance, how
a SEER-21 rated air conditioner operates during the summer in Bozeman,
Montana is far different from how it will perform in a Santa Clarita summer. A
units EER rating can also be used to directly compare a Carrier Infinity Series
air conditioner to a Lennox Signature Series, for instance, but in short, EER is
a more technical, objective means of rating an air conditioners efficiency.
Now that you know about energy ratings, you can start shopping for more
energy efficient air conditioners. For more information on the energy efficient
Carrier Infinity-21 Series or the Amana-18, check out:
Carrier Infinity vs Performance Series Air Conditioners.

and
Amana vs Goodman Air Conditioners.

SEER vs EER.

When

to

Use

So now that we know the differences between SEER vs EER, we can take a
look at when to use each. Like we discussed, SEER is a great way to get an
idea of how a unit operates throughout a cooling season, and a units EER is
an objective way to measure an air conditioners efficiency, but heres when
to use each:

When to Use SEER.

SEER is most common. SEER can be used to compare one AC unit to
another directlyand is most commonly encountered when looking at large,
central air conditioning units. However, it should not be used to measure how
efficiently your new air conditioner will operate or how much money you can
expect to save without making a calculation. This is because as discussed
above, a SEER rating is only a rating based on a standard test across a
specific seasonal temperature range. As such, use the calculation in the
SEER section above to first figure out what your equivalent SEER rating would
be for your climate zone, then make the best decision for your area. Once
youve found the equivalent SEER rating for your area, then you can easily
calculate your expected energy used and money saved.

When to Use EER.

EER ratings are more commonly encountered with smaller window mounted
air conditioners.
An air conditioners EER rating is best used to

objectively compare air conditioners or to do any type of load or engineering

calculation. Because it is not diluted by additional inputs, the EER value, in
my opinion, is the most accurate way to compare two different HVAC units for
the purposes of using Manual-J Load Calculations.

Which is Better for a Homeowner,

SEER or EER?
To be perfectly honest, it can be hard to even find a central air conditioners
EER value without digging into some manuals. Most of the time, EER is used
on smaller, window air conditioners where using SEER would be
impractical. Some manufacturers will note it, but it is used far less frequently
than a SEER value.
In general, if you are a homeowner then I would use the SEER value as a
means of comparing units to one another, and Id use a units EER value if
you are looking at a window AC unit or if you are an HVAC contractor doing a
Manual-J calculation. Entering in a SEER value in a Manual-J can be done,
but ensure that you take into account the average temperatures for your area.

Final SEER vs EER Tip:

At the end of the day, SEER and EER can be very useful for comparing
different air conditioning units to one another, but are not the end of the road
to increasing efficiency and decreasing energy costs. More importantly than
SEER or EER would be an HVAC units size, and whether it is the proper size

for your house. If you pay the money for a SEER-23 unit but that unit is too
big for your house, then it will not run as efficiently as it should, so Id check
out: