Everything Homeowners Need To Know About New SEER Requirements

Everything Homeowners Need To Know
About New SEER Requirements

How It Affects You, Your Home, & Your HVAC System

HVAC systems in S.W. Oklahoma have a daunting year-long task of maintaining a comfortable living environment for a home and its inhabitants. With scorching summer afternoons and frigid winter nights, the heating and cooling aspects of an HVAC system must be in tip-top shape for maximum performance.

Here at Robinson Air, a common service we provide Oklahoma residents with is replacing outdated HVAC systems. These systems became faulty for several reasons, whether it be old age, broken components, or simple quality issues with the system.

Unbeknownst to many homeowners, HVAC systems must adhere to strict Department Of Energy (DOE) regulations before being sold and installed. Each HVAC system has its own unique SEER label telling the manufacturer, DOE, installation team, and homeowner everything they need to know.

While this may come as new information, SEER is worth paying attention to.

What Is SEER & Why Does It Matter?

An HVAC system’s Seasonal Energy Efficiency Rating, or SEER, is a cumulative assessment of the unit’s cooling and energy efficiency in relation to the cost it takes to run it over the course of a year.

Note: The DOE determines an HVAC’s SEER by calculating exactly how many BTU of warm or cold air is removed from the home and how many watt-hours it took to make that happen.

HVAC systems with a higher SEER number will have better energy efficiency and, therefore, cost less to operate but typically come with a higher upfront cost. It’s also important to note, however, what the SEER number is when the HVAC system is performing most efficiently.

Think about an HVAC SEER compared to a vehicle’s MPG rating. If a car has thirty miles to the gallon on the highway, you can be sure that number is smaller when driving in a city. And the same can be said for the SEER. Keeping an HVAC system running within the DOE’s recommendations will ensure performance is as close to the SEER as possible.

Every HVAC unit sold within the United States must meet a minimum SEER, which changes periodically. If you’re in the game of saving money on energy costs, choosing an HVAC system with a higher SEER is a great place to start.

Why The DOE Changes HVAC Regulations

The DOE spends a great deal of time ensuring homeowners invest their hard-earned money in reliable HVAC systems aiding in the fight for a cleaner tomorrow, not adding to the problem.

The DOE reevaluates its testing procedures and minimum energy efficiency requirements annually to determine if changes should be made. When we started in the industry, we installed systems with a SEER of 8-10 — numbers that are far from acceptable today!

Once new DOE SEER regulations are in place, it becomes illegal to sell and install cooling or heating systems that don’t meet the minimum ranking. The DOE has separate testing procedures for cooling and heating systems to be as accurate as possible. As SEER increases, the amount of electricity it takes to achieve the same performance decreases.

A win-win for everyone!

How We Prepare For New SEER Requirements

Since the DOE adjusts the minimum SEER requirements on a six-year basis, it gives us more than enough time to prepare. While we offer HVAC systems to meet any budget, many of our HVAC systems exceed minimum SEER requirements.

What about HVAC units that don’t meet the new requirements? We don’t deal with those!

We’ve been steadily upgrading HVAC systems for the new SEER requirements over the past few years, so we’re more than prepared for the latest changes to ensure business carries on as usual. Unfortunately, many manufacturers have increased their base prices due to the changes and drastic technical improvements.

Homeowners need to be aware of these changes as it may cost more than expected to install a new HVAC system until the market balances out. Some manufacturers won’t change their prices, while others will see up to a 25% increase. So, when the new SEER requirements are in place, we’ll be prepared on all fronts to continue providing S.W. Oklahoma residents with professional HVAC services.

Energy-Efficient HVAC Systems Are Just A Phone Call Away

Don’t be scared by the new SEER regulations — that’s for us to worry about!

The DOE is known for changing the way they rate an HVAC SEER, which can make it a bit confusing for the average homeowner to follow along, especially when it only happens every six years. Our team of trusted professionals is available to answer any questions to make your transition to a more energy-efficient HVAC system as easy as possible.

Ready to get started? Give Robinson a call at (580) 699-5760, or use our nifty contact us form. We’re looking forward to it!