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Spring is the prime season to get a new <\/span>AC installation in Katy, TX<\/span><\/a> if your current AC looks to be coming to the end of the line. You don\u2019t want to get caught with a failing air conditioner when the first major heat waves of summer arrive, so if you think you need a replacement, call our technicians as soon as you can and schedule an appointment. We\u2019ll help determine if your AC is ready to go, and if it is, we\u2019ll get a new one installed for you far in advance of the summer.<\/span><\/p>\n But maybe this is the year you decide you want to replace both your AC <\/span>and<\/span><\/i> heater and put in a heat pump. A heat pump is similar to an air conditioner, but it does the job of both heating and cooling. We often recommend heat pumps to our customers, and we\u2019ll gladly assist you with making the choice.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n One important difference between ACs and heat pumps is their efficiency ratings. You\u2019ll notice that they have <\/span>three<\/span><\/i> efficiency ratings, whereas air conditioners have two. We\u2019ll talk about what these heat pump efficiency ratings mean.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n This is the same efficiency rating you\u2019ll also find on air conditioners. They represent how efficienct the heat pump is when running in cooling mode. <\/span>SEER<\/span><\/i> stands for <\/span>Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio<\/span><\/i> and <\/span>EER<\/span><\/i> for <\/span>Energy Efficiency Ratio<\/span><\/i>. They use similar measurements: a ratio of the amount of cooling output (in BTUs removed from the house per hour) to the amount of energy consumed to do that work. The higher the rating, the more efficient the system.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n SEER is calculated through a series of tests meant to imitate a full season of work, while EER is calculated as a single test under set conditions. SEER is always higher than EER. The current US Department of Energy <\/span>standards for air conditioners<\/span><\/a> is 15 SEER\/12.5 EER or higher to earn the ENERGY STAR label.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n This is how you tell the efficiency of a heat pump when it\u2019s in heating mode. The reason the heat pump needs a separate rating for this is that heat pumps are not as energy efficient in this mode\u2014although you shouldn\u2019t let this deter you from considering a heat pump, as they still use less energy for heating than an electric furnace.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n HSPF stands for <\/span>Heating Seasonal Performance Factor<\/span><\/i>, and it\u2019s similar to SEER. It\u2019s the ratio of the heat pump\u2019s heating output (in BTUs moved into the house per hour) against the energy consumed to do the job (measured in watt-hours). Like SEER, it\u2019s calculated with a series of tests meant to represent a full season of heating. The current minimum HSPF required by the US Department of Energy is 8.5.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Don\u2019t worry if you aren\u2019t sure what SEER\/EER\/HSPF you need from a heat pump. We can help you juggle the various factors to find the ideal new unit to suit your needs and match your budget.<\/span><\/p>\nSEER\/EER<\/b><\/h2>\n
HSPF<\/b><\/h2>\n
Call Us for Heat Pump Help<\/b><\/h2>\n