Shopping by the Numbers

When you're ready to buy the best air conditioner available, the price tag isn't the only number you should be aware of. An important number to look for is a unit's SEER rating. Why? Because it directly affects how much you'll be paying on energy bills for years to come.

SEER, or Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio, measures BTUs of cooling produced per watt of electricity consumed. In other words, as the SEER rating increases, you'll use less energy to cool your home, which results in lower electric bills.

The required minimum SEER rating was raised from 10 to 13 SEER in January 2006, an energy savings of 30%. Not only will replacing a less-efficient unit pay off with lower long-term costs for you, but over the next 25 years the new higher standards will save the equivalent of a year's energy consumed by over 17 million households and significantly reduce greenhouse gases and air pollution.

Since SEER ratings are standardized, industry wide and government-regulated, they make comparisons among models easy and allow you to compare "apples to apples." We can help you calculate the potential savings from a more efficient unit. Call us today to determine the best system for your home so you'll end up winning the air conditioner numbers game with efficient and economical cooling for years to come.