Summer’s nearly here in Southwest Ohio, and it’s time to turn on the air conditioner. Before the season gets too hot, it’s a good idea to take a look at the efficiency of your A/C and consider servicing or replacing it if necessary. A good measure of efficiency is the A/C’s SEER rating, which is an acronym for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio. The A/C’s SEER rating tells how efficiently the air-conditioning equipment converts electricity into cooling for your home.
The SEER rating on your A/C is a result of laboratory tests that were conducted under very specific conditions established by the U.S. Department of Energy. The actual efficiency of your A/C unit, operating under field conditions, may not achieve this level.
These four factors help determine how well your A/C’s SEER rating will match its actual performance:
- Airflow: proper airflow is needed to achieve the desired temperature change across the evaporator unit. Low airflow can be caused by air ducts that are too small, mismatched with other equipment, or have a layout that is not designed correctly. Problems with the fan motor can affect airflow as well, as can an air filter that’s clogged.
- Charge: improper refrigerant charge, whether overcharged or undercharged, can affect the ability to perform up to the A/C’s SEER number.
- Duct leakage: supply duct leaks can result in a direct loss in the A/C’s total capacity, while leaks in the return ducts can cause unconditioned and unfiltered air to enter the house from the attic or crawl space.
- Size: ask a qualified HVAC professional to ensure that your A/C equipment is the right size for your home and your needs. An A/C that is oversized will diminish performance, while a unit that’s too small will not meet your standards of comfort.
Ace Hardware Home Services, Inc. can provide you with expert advice about your A/C equipment, along with other issues related to home comfort. For more information, please contact us. We’ve been a family owned and operated business serving the Dayton area for three generations.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Dayton, Ohio about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about SEER ratings and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
Image courtesy of Shutterstock
