When it comes to heating and cooling your home, there are a lot of options. When shopping for your next HVAC system, you may have encountered the term EER, which stands for energy efficiency ratio. An EER rating measures the efficiency of an HVAC system. If you are unfamiliar with this rating, how can you interpret these numbers to find the best heating and cooling solutions? How much should efficiency inform your decision when selecting your next system?

Understanding the EER and how it affects which HVAC system you choose can help you lower your energy costs and reduce environmental impact. Let’s break down the energy efficiency ratio and how it can help you find the best HVAC system. Save money, improve comfort, and reduce impact all at once.

What Does the Energy-Efficiency Ratio Measure?

The energy efficiency ratio (EER) measures how much input of electrical energy it takes to produce cooling energy. Simply, how much power does it take to produce a desired amount of cooling energy?

The EER measures the relation between the average rate of space cooling delivered to the average rate of electrical energy consumed by the HVAC system. This ratio is expressed in BTU/h per watt of electrical energy. BTU stands for British Thermal Unit. BTU/h measures the useful cooling output while the electrical input is measured in watts (W). EER shows how many watts of electrical energy an HVAC system uses to produce useful cooling capacity.

How Is EER Calculated?

To calculate the EER, two metrics are needed: the capacity (BTU/h) of the HVAC system and the amount of power (W) the system uses. The capacity of the system is then divided by its power as expressed by the formula below:

EER rating = Capacity (BTU) / Power (W)

For instance, if you have an air conditioner unit with a capacity of 12,000 BTU and it uses 900 watts per hour to produce this capacity, you input these two numbers into the formula to obtain its EER:

EER rating = 12,000 BTU / 900 W

EER rating = 13.33 …

This example shows that the EER rating would be 13.33 … . The number rounds to 13, giving it an EER rating of 13. An EER rating of 13 means that for every 1 watt of energy used, the HVAC system produces a cooling effect of 13 BTUs. A lower EER of 9.5, for instance, would mean that for every 1 watt of energy used, a cooling effect of only 9.5 BTUs is produced. The lower cooling effect is produced using the same amount of energy, making it less efficient at cooling your home.

What Are Good EER Ratings?

Now that you know how EER is calculated, how do you interpret these numbers so you can recognize a good EER rating? Since the calculation divides energy output by energy input, a larger number means less energy is used to produce the cooling output, making the HVAC system more efficient. A smaller EER rating means that more energy is needed to produce the same cooling capacity. The greater the EER rating, the more efficient the HVAC system.

So, what is a good EER rating? This will depend on where you live as well as what type of unit is installed. Certain factors affect EER ratings, such as weather and the size of the rooms needing to be heated or cooled. Additionally, certain regions have minimum efficiency requirements for heating and cooling products.

If an EER rating is 8 or below, then your current HVAC system is using a lot of energy to keep your home comfortable. Upgrading your HVAC system to a more efficient model means you will spend less in energy to keep your indoor temperature comfortable. Look for higher EER ratings for maximum comfort with minimal energy costs.

Why Does Energy Efficiency Matter?

The energy efficiency ratio can help you find the most efficient heating and cooling system for your home. High-efficiency HVAC systems have a host of benefits. Since they require less energy to heat or cool your home, they can significantly cut the cost of your monthly energy bill saving you money. Though the most efficient models can initially cost more to install, they also tend to have a longer life span. This saves you more money over time with fewer maintenance and repairs, and lower energy bills.

Additionally, since energy-efficient HVAC systems use less energy to keep indoor temperatures comfortable, they have a smaller carbon footprint. Increase the comfort of your home with less environmental impact and more savings.

Selecting an HVAC system with a higher EER has a host of other added benefits, including:

Better air quality: Newer, more efficient systems allow for continued airflow that filters harmful debris or allergens as well as regulating humidity.

• Improved comfort: Variable speed motors control airflow to ensure it’s at the right level in every room of your house. Newer models can also keep your home at more consistent temperatures with the option to install a dual-zone system for customized heating and cooling in different areas of your house, such as upstairs and downstairs.
• Quieter operation: Current HVAC systems utilize sound-dampening insulation to minimize the operation noise. Now, whenever your air conditioning unit or furnace kicks on, you have the pleasure of minimal noise.
• Higher resale value: A newer model that is highly efficient is likely to increase resale value, as lower maintenance costs and huge savings in energy bills are great selling points to prospective buyers.

Bottom Line

With a lot of products available for heating and cooling your home, look for the most efficient options using the energy efficiency ratio as a guide. For increased efficiency, keep the size of your rooms in mind when selecting your next unit. Proper sizing is important for efficiency; over- and undersized units perform less efficiently than a properly sized unit. Generally, an air conditioner needs 20 BTUs for each square foot of living space.

Work with a trusted company like Entek for all your heating and cooling needs whether residential, commercial, or industrial. They are a top-rated Carrier provider and have been serving the Pacific Northwest for over 75 years and are ready to install or service your energy-efficient HVAC system.