Determining when to say goodbye to that inefficient air conditioner or furnace

Department of Energy calculators will help you determine the efficiency of your current cooling or heating system as compared to a newer, more efficient system. You may need to refer to the instruction manual that came with your system to identify tonnage, SEER , AFUE and MBTUH output. Your local contractor may also be able to help you locate this information.

Click here for calculators.

 

Repair or Replace?

Newer units, especially those with ENERGY STAR® labels, operate more efficiently, reduce your energy bill, increase your comfort and even help protect our environment. You may not realize the amount of money you waste with a unit that is less efficient by today’s standards, even if your heating or cooling system is properly maintained.

A service check may actually detect a problem before you notice it, and catching it in time may extend your unit’s life. Although it’s important to keep in mind that a temporary repair may end up costing you more in the long run. Ask yourself the following questions:

• How old is the equipment?
• Has it been serviced on a regular basis?
• Is it energy efficient?
• Does it use today’s new efficiencies or was it efficient ten or twenty years ago?

You should also be aware that there are standard efficiency ratings that make it easy to compare the performance of different systems:

• Air conditioners use SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio).
• Furnaces use AFUE (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency).
• Heat pump units are also rated by SEER for cooling efficiency and HSPF or Heating Seasonal Performance Factor for heating.