We say it a lot on our blog, our website, in the homes of our customers. Air conditioners today are leaps and bounds more efficient and effective than air conditioners of the past. The HVAC industry is always reinventing their products and searching for ways to make a more precise, more efficient cooling system.

That’s a great thing. It works for the betterment of us all, but how much more efficient can they actually be? The truth may surprise you.

SEER Ratings Explained

Before we continue, we lets briefly discuss the system used to measure air conditioner efficiency, the SEER Rating. SEER rating stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio. It measures the average efficiency of the unit across and entire season.

SEER Ratings Over the Years

In 1992, the U.S. Department of Energy passed its first legislation to regulate the minimum SEER requirements of an air conditioner sold in America. This brought the minimum efficiency to 6 SEER. It was a good step forward for efficiency in the industry, but compared to today’s standards, it isn’t anything at all.

Then 14 years later in 2006, the minimum requirements were raised once again to a much more respectable 13 SEER. That means that if your air conditioner is about ten years old, it could be vastly inferior to ever the standard models on the market today.

Plus, air conditioners do not maintain the same level of effectiveness and efficiency throughout their entire lifespan. Over time, their efficiency and SEER rating will degrade depending on a number of factors including climate, amount of use, and quality of maintenance.

Today’s Air Conditioning Elite Models

Even though 13 SEER is the government-regulated minimum for air conditioner efficiency, it is not nearly as high as can be achieved. The Lennox XC21 boast a staggering 21 SEER and can change output levels to perfectly match the needs of the home. Even more impressive is the industry-leading XC25 air conditioner. With a SEER rating of 25 (over quadruple the minimum rating in 2005), the XC25 Air Conditioner provides an unparallel lever of comfort and efficiency with whisper-quiet operation.

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In addition to these industry giants, there are numerous mid range models in the 15 – 17 SEER range which will still operate nearly three times as efficiently as any air conditioner from the late 90’s or early two thousands. The HVAC industry really has risen to the challenge and made great strides in the past decade.

Schedule your FREE in-home estimate with our Comfort Specialist today. Our trained professionals will help guide you to the best air conditioner to fit you family’s needs and provide true home comfort!