There seem to be a lot of ratings and terms associated with HVAC systems. What do they mean?
SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) – a system for rating the efficiency of cooling equipment. The higher the SEER rating, the less a unit will cost to operate. The DOE’s established minimum SEER rating for cooling is 13.00. HSPF (Heating Seasonal Performance Factor) – a measure similar to SEER, but it measures the efficiency of the heating portion of a heat pump. AFUE (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency ratio) – a furnace-related measure of the percent of heat produced for every dollar of fuel consumed. The higher the AFUE rating, the lower the fuel costs. All furnaces manufactured today must meet at least 78% AFUE. Furnaces now 10 – 15 years old may fall below this minimum. Furnaces use electricity to run the blower and the amount of electricity used varies with the quality and design of the system, so this is another factor of which to be aware when selecting equipment. MERV (Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value) – an ASHRAE filter rating system relates to the size of the holes in
