Ratings & ReviewsUnderstanding Ratings.How are air conditioners rated? What about heat pumps or furnaces? Knowing how heating and cooling systems are rated will help you make a more educated purchase decision. Furnaces: Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE) percentage tells you how much energy is being converted to heat. The higher the number, the greater the efficiency. A furnace rated 95.1% AFUE, for instance, uses 95.1% of its energy intake into heating your home. The minimum percentage established by the U.S. Department of Energy for furnaces is 78% AFUE. In Canada, the minimum percentage is 90% AFUE. Air Conditioners: Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) measures a unit's cooling efficiency over the course of a whole season. The higher the number, the greater the efficiency. Air conditioners installed just 10 years ago averaged 8-10 SEER. By upgrading to a 23-SEER unit, for example, you could cut cooling bills by 60 percent or more. The U.S. Department of Energy's established minimum SEER rating for cooling is 13.00 SEER. Heat Pumps: Heating Seasonal Performance Factor (HSPF) measures the heating efficiency of a heat pump. The higher the number, the more efficiently the heat pump heats your home. Heat pumps are rated by SEER for cooling efficiency (see Air Conditioners). Want A/C Product Reviews?Independent, third-party reviews of home heaters and air conditioning systems are hard to find. Because installation is so critical to the success of the equipment, it can be hard to separate the quality of the equipment from the quality of the install. Many times when a homeowner criticizes a heating or cooling brand, the problem is due more to a poor installation than the unit itself. That said, our Tappan iQ Drive® air conditioner and heat pump have been reviewed by leading consumer advocacy publication Consumers Digest. Both the air conditioner and the heat pump have received their Best Buy award in the premium category. |
