If you’ve recently been shopping for a new heat pump, you may have noticed that each unit has something called a “SEER rating.” Or perhaps you already have a heat pump installed in your home, and you’ve only recently noticed the SEER rating on the cabinet. If you’ve wondered what those capital letters mean, you’ve come to the right place. We’ll explain what SEER stands for and why it’s important for you to know.

If you need additional help, such as heat pump repair in Kingwood, TX, then contact KAC Express.

We are a licensed and insured HVAC company, and we offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee on our work.

SEER (and HSPF) Ratings

SEER stands for seasonal energy efficiency ratio. It actually has nothing to do with the heating efficiency of your heat pump; it’s a measurement of its cooling efficiency. Because heat pumps serve as both heaters and air conditioners, and work at different efficiencies in those settings, they require separate efficiency ratings.

SEER is expressed as a whole number that represents the ratio of the amount of BTUs (British Thermal Units) of cooling the heat pump produces over a season to the amount of energy consumed in watt-hours. The higher the SEER rating number, the more efficient the heat pump when set in cooling mode. Most quality heat pumps should have a SEER of 14 or greater.

What about heating efficiency? Check on the heat pump for its HSPF rating. These initials stand for heating seasonal performance factor. This is the ratio of the total amount of heat needed over a season to the energy consumption in watt-hours. It’s similar to SEER in that it’s a ratio expressed as a whole number and it measures heat over an entire season. Also like SEER, a higher number mean greater efficiency. However, heat pumps are not as energy efficient when heating as they are at cooling, so expect the HSPF rating to be lower: most models will have a rating of 9 or 10.

What SEER rating do you need?

The higher the SEER rating on a heat pump, the more the unit will likely cost. You don’t necessarily need the highest SEER rating you can afford, however—or the highest HSPF. This is where you should have the assistance of heating specialists, who can find out the needs of your home and the right heat pump to keep it both warm and cool.

For excellent installation or heat pump repair in Kingwood, TX, come to the professional technicians at KAC Express.