How much seer do i need

The higher the SEER rating, the less energy your air conditioner consumes. Ever wondered how much money in electricity you could save by upgrading your air conditioner? Or do you just want to find out how much of your utility bill goes into cooling your home? Using the calculator is easy: Just drag the sliders! AC Tonnage represents the size of your air conditioner usually measured in Tons. If you live in Sarasota or Charlotte County, Florida , fill out the form below and get a free, no-obligation quote:.

Naturally, the outdoor temperature during a typical cooling season is not constant. It varies based on weather and climate. This applies to the temperature of the return air, not the supply air. It simple terms, it can either cool your home by transferring warm air from the inside of your home to the outside, or it can heat your home by transferring warm air from the outside, inside.

The latest update to these standards went into effect on January 1, Air conditioning efficiency standards in the USA are set to undergo more changes in the coming years. On May 26, , the Department of Energy DOE published a notice confirming an effective date of January 1, for the next set of energy conservation standards.

All this being said, it is still possible to own an air conditioner with less than the minimum SEER rating. Hint, hint. Best of luck! Most manufacturers make their air handlers compatible only with certain condensers for optimal performance.

HVAC contractors are generally required to install air conditioners in these matched sets, but this unfortunately does not always happen. We know what you might be thinking — and no, tonnage does not refer to the physical weight of your air conditioner.

More specifically, it tells how much heat the unit is able to remove from your house in one hour. This high-pressure liquid refrigerant passes through a restriction and into the low-pressure side of the circuit, and the entire process is repeated. The efficiency of room air conditioners in converting electricity into cooling effect varies widely, depending on the manufacturer's design choices.

Models for window mounting are available with EER ratings between High-efficiency units generally incorporate efficient rotary compressors, large evaporators and condensers with louvred fins and internally rifled tubes, as well as efficient fans and a slinger ring to deposit water collected from the evaporator onto the hot condenser.

Minimum efficiency units tend to use small conventional heat exchangers and standard compressors and fans. While higher efficiency units are more expensive to manufacture, retail prices do not necessarily reflect this premium. Select a unit with as high an EER as is practical, to minimize operating costs. The amount of cooling that the air conditioner must provide to maintain comfort conditions is called the cooling load.

It is affected by the size of the room, the size and orientation of windows, attic and wall insulation levels, and the amount of heat being generated in the room, etc. Ideally, the unit should be sized by a qualified air conditioning contractor, using detailed calculations that take into account the size of rooms, insulation levels, size and orientation of windows and doors, shading, number of occupants, appliances, lighting, climate, etc.

Annex A provides a capacity estimation procedure for room air conditioners. Although this procedure is fairly detailed and complex, it can provide an accurate cooling load for your particular needs. Room air conditioners are available in styles that are designed to be mounted either through the wall or in a window opening.

There are considerably more window-mounted models available, providing you with a good choice of features and suppliers. Through-the-wall units offer the advantage of leaving windows available for aesthetic reasons, natural lighting and ventilation, but they do require the construction of a special opening in the wall, which can be costly.

If the air conditioner is to be left in place year-round, this approach should be considered as it lends itself to a tighter installation. While there usually isn't any choice as to the orientation of a room air conditioner, a northern exposure is ideal, since solar heating of the unit is minimized. Some room air conditioners can be quite heavy and awkward to handle. Ensure that you use enough helpers to make the installation a safe one.

Once the unit is securely fastened in place, seal up all air leaks to avoid unnecessary air exchange and cooling load during air conditioner operation. Fill the large gaps using the panels or side curtains provided in the installation kit.

Seal any remaining cracks with either peelable caulking or a sealant strip that stops draughts and can be removed without damaging the paint. An airtight seal will also prevent insects from entering the house through the air conditioner opening. Some room air conditioners, particularly those with larger capacities, will require a dedicated electrical circuit or have specific requirements regarding the current rating of the wiring and the breaker.

Before you buy, investigate your electrical system. Identify which other electrical loads are on the circuit that you plan to use, and with the help of an electrical contractor, check existing wiring to determine how much additional load can be safely added. If a new circuit is needed, it should be installed by a qualified electrical contractor and inspected for conformity with the electrical code.

If possible, locate room air conditioners on a north wall or on a wall that is shaded. The cost of operating a room air conditioner may be minimized by selecting a unit with a high EER and taking the simple steps listed below:. Choose an air conditioner with the proper cooling capacity for your application. An oversized unit may not stay on long enough to properly dehumidify the room, and an undersized unit will not be able to handle the cooling load in extremely hot weather.

Determining the capacity required for your room is addressed in the section on sizing considerations. Noise level inside the room is also an important consideration, particularly if the air conditioner is used in a bedroom. In some installations, a low outdoor-noise level is important; for example, when the unit is located opposite a neighbour's bedroom window. Also, some jurisdictions have noise-limiting by-laws that may restrict the operating hours of noisy equipment.

Noise levels for room air conditioners are sometimes reported by independent consumers' groups but are seldom found in manufacturers' literature. Good control over the direction and distribution of cool air from the unit is also important. Consider whether you need a high-velocity jet of cool air to penetrate well into a large room or if there are specific regions that cool air should be directed away from.

Select a unit with appropriate louvre adjustments to fit your needs. Controls should also match your requirements. Generally, two or three fan speeds are available. In normal operating mode, the fan runs continuously. Some models have an energy-saver mode that turns the fan off at the same time as the compressor; others have a timer that can turn the air conditioner on and off at preset times; and some units can be turned on or off.

Most units can exchange stale room air with outdoor air through fan operation without the compressor running; however, ventilation rates are generally modest. Room air conditioners usually weigh 25 kg or more and can be quite bulky.

Consider design features, such as a slide-out chassis, that improve the ease and safety of installation and removal. Although room air conditioners are generally considered to be reliable appliances, the security offered by a manufacturer's warranty can provide peace of mind and valuable protection if failures do occur. The cost of operating a room air conditioner will depend on the cost of electricity in your area, the cooling capacity, the EER of the unit and, most importantly, the amount of time that it operates.

The weather and the factors highlighted in the "Operation considerations" section will significantly influence the number of hours that it runs each year. NRCan 's EnerGuide Room Air Conditioner Directory includes conversion tables that provide the approximate energy consumption, in kilowatt hours, of different room air conditioners for different locations across Canada.

You can use these tables to estimate the operating cost for your location, air conditioner capacity and EER rating. Remember that the way you operate the unit can have a large impact on the actual operating cost: heavily used room air conditioners run for three or four times as many hours as their seldom used counterparts. In general, room air conditioners are expected to have a service life of approximately 10 years. Lower annual run-time results in a greater than average life expectancy.

Warranties vary from one manufacturer to another. Frequently, some form of five-year warranty is offered with complete parts and labour coverage in the first year. Subsequent coverage is usually limited to, for example, the cost of sealed refrigeration-system parts being covered. Check warranty details before buying. Central air conditioners are designed to cool the entire house. The large compressor and outdoor coil are located outdoors and are connected by refrigerant lines to an indoor coil mounted in the furnace.

The same duct system is used for both heating and cooling air distribution. A central air conditioner uses energy to take heat away. The most common type uses a compressor cycle like a refrigerator to transfer heat from the house to the outdoors. Using a special fluid called a refrigerant, heat is absorbed and released when the refrigerant changes back and forth between a liquid and gas state.

As it changes from liquid to gas, it absorbs heat; in changing back to a liquid from a gas, it releases heat. In the indoor coil or evaporator, the remaining liquid absorbs heat from household air and becomes a low-temperature gas. The low-temperature gas is compressed by a compressor that reduces its volume and increases its temperature, causing it to become a high-pressure, high-temperature vapour. This vapour is sent to the outdoor coil or condenser where its heat is transferred to the outdoor air, causing the refrigerant to condense into a liquid.

The liquid returns to the expansion device and the cycle is repeated. Household air is cooled and dehumidified as it passes over the indoor coil. The moisture removed from the air, when it contacts the indoor coil, is collected in a pan at the bottom of the coil and sent to a house drain.

Select a central air conditioner with as high a SEER as is practical within your budget. The annual cooling efficiency of a central air conditioner is affected by the manufacturer's choice of features and components. The SEER of central air conditioners ranges from a minimum of More efficient compressors, larger and more effective heat exchanger surfaces, improved refrigerant flow and other features are largely responsible for recent improvements in the efficiency of central air conditioners.

Advanced reciprocating, scroll and variable-speed or two-speed compressors, when combined with the current best heat exchangers and controls, permit SEER s as high as Central air conditioners with the highest SEER s always use variable-speed or two-speed high-efficiency compressors.

Select a central air conditioner with an outdoor sound rating of about 7. The sound rating is expressed in bels. The lower the sound rating, the lower the sound power emitted by the outdoor unit. New, energy-efficient designs often have low sound ratings.

Cooling loads should be determined by a qualified air-conditioning contractor, using a recognized sizing method such as that specified in CSA-FM Determining the Required Capacity of Residential Space Heating and Cooling Appliances. Do not rely on simple rules of thumb for sizing, but insist on a thorough analysis from the sales representative.

Select a central air conditioner size or capacity to just meet the design cooling-load calculated. Oversizing the unit will result in short operating cycles, which will not adequately remove humidity, resulting in an unpleasantly cold and damp home.

Undersizing the unit will result in an inability to attain a comfortable temperature on the hottest days. Also, with a central air conditioning system, the equipment cost is much more proportional to size than it is with heating equipment.

Unnecessary oversizing will increase the purchase price and increase on-and-off cycling, which will decrease the unit's overall efficiency. When installing a central air conditioner, it is important that the contractor follow the manufacturer's instructions carefully.

The cost of installing a central air conditioner will vary depending on the nature of the existing furnace, whether or not the existing ductwork needs to be modified, and whether there is a need to upgrade the electrical service to deal with the increased electrical load of the central air conditioner.

Where an existing central air conditioner is being replaced, ensure that the existing indoor coil is replaced by one matched to the new outdoor unit.

If the existing indoor coil is not replaced, the new unit will not deliver its rated efficiency. In the interest of energy efficiency, use central air conditioning only when ventilation is inadequate to ensure comfortable conditions. Natural ventilation of the house at night, when it is relatively cool, combined with closing up the house during hot days and running the central air conditioner can be an effective strategy.

A setting at the higher end of the range will result in lower air-conditioning costs. If the humidity level is lower, temperature settings can be at the higher end. Humidity levels can be reduced by using a bathroom exhaust fan when you bathe or shower and by using a rangehood fan, if it is vented outside, when cooking on the range top. Continuous indoor fan operation can keep the temperature more uniform throughout the house by eliminating temperature differences due to stratification.

It can also help keep the home cleaner, especially if there is an electronic air cleaner installed. However, continuous indoor fan operation can increase operating costs compared with on-off or automatic fan operation. In more humid climates, the moisture removed during compressor operation is re-evaporated by the fan operation when the compressor is off.

This can increase humidity levels and cause discomfort. As in winter, adjusting the thermostat when the house is unoccupied can reduce operating costs. If the house will be empty during the day, you can raise the thermostat a few degrees before you leave and reset it to the preferred temperature when you return. An automatic programmable thermostat will reliably adjust the temperature for you to help you save money on cooling costs.

The power to the central unit should be shut off when the cooling season ends. Most central air conditioners have a small electric heater on the compressor to keep refrigerant out of the lubricating oil. Flip the circuit breaker to turn this heater off. To prevent damage to the compressor, remember to turn the power back on a day or two before you need to operate the central air conditioner.

Proper maintenance is critical in ensuring that your central air conditioner will operate efficiently and have a long service life. You can do some of the simple maintenance yourself, but you may also want to have a competent service contractor do a periodic inspection of your unit. The best time to service a central air conditioner is just prior to the cooling season.

Filter and coil maintenance can have a dramatic impact on system performance and service life. Dirty filters and dirty indoor and outdoor coils and fans reduce airflow through the system. This reduction in airflow decreases system efficiency and capacity and can lead to expensive compressor damage if left for an extended period of time.

Furnace filters should be inspected and cleaned or replaced, depending on the type of furnace and the furnace manufacturer's instructions. The outdoor coil should be vacuumed or brushed clean to keep it clear of dirt, leaves and grass clippings. It can be carefully cleaned with a garden hose after debris is vacuumed off.

Consider a professional cleaning if the outdoor coil becomes badly plugged. Both the furnace fan and outdoor unit fan should be cleaned and lubricated where applicable and following manufacturers' instructions. The furnace-fan speed can be checked and adjusted at the same time, to ensure peak performance. Ductwork can be professionally cleaned if needed, but the need for cleaning can be reduced by a proper filter replacement and cleaning routine.

To ensure that all ducts are airtight, seal the joints with a special duct mastic sealant. This should reduce or eliminate air leaks. High-temperature duct tape may work, although it tends to degrade or permit air leaks over time. Be sure that vents and registers are not blocked by furniture, carpets or other items that can resist airflow.

Extended periods of inadequate airflow can lead to compressor damage. If, after attending to filter maintenance and coil cleaning, your central air conditioner does not appear to be doing its job, you will need to hire a competent service contractor to undertake more difficult maintenance or service, such as checking the refrigerant level or making electrical or mechanical checks and adjustments.

The operating cost of a central air conditioner is influenced by a number of factors, such as how much you use your air conditioner and how efficient it is, the amount of insulation and glazing in your home, and the frequency and duration of door and window openings when the system is operating. It also depends on the activities in your home and the use of other equipment and appliances that increase the load on the air conditioner.

Finally, it depends on the local climate and electricity costs. The section of this guide entitled "Air-Conditioning Operating Costs" provides estimates of the cost of operating a central air conditioner in different regions of Canada. The life expectancy of a central air conditioner is 15 years or longer. New units offer greater efficiency and lower operating costs; it may be more cost-effective in the long run to replace rather than repair.

The warranty on your equipment will vary according to the manufacturer.