Maintaining home efficiency is the best way to save money and help the environment by lowering your carbon footprint. But how exactly is efficiency rated in your HVAC (heating, ventilation, air conditioning) system? Understanding the most important HVAC ratings can benefit you when upgrading to new units and help you make an informed decision about the products you’re purchasing.

British Thermal Unit – BTU

This HVAC rating is one of the most popular ways to measure your heating equipment. It measures how much heat is required to raise 1 pound of water by 1 degree Fahrenheit. Want a better heating capacity? Look for a furnace with a higher BTU.

Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency – AFUE

This is how your furnace’s fuel efficiency is rated (it doesn’t take into account the electrical energy needed to run other aspects of your furnace, like the fan, controls or pump). But the higher the AFUE rating, the more efficient your furnace is. You can find this rating on your unit’s EnerGuide label.

Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value – MERV

This unit of measurement expresses your HVAC’s air filter efficiency at removing pollutants and other particles from your home’s indoor air. It measure the size of the particles removed (the smaller the better!) compared to the number of particles the filter is capable of removing (the most the better). Again, the bigger the MERV value of your system, the more efficient its air filter is.

Seasonal Energy Efficiency Rating – SEER

Summer may be over, but this is definitely one of the most important HVAC ratings homeowners should be familiar with. SEER is used to compare air conditioner efficiency and is calculated by dividing the total cooling output in a cooling season by the total electrical output in that season. The higher your SEER rating, the more efficient your air conditioner!

Fahrhall Home Comfort Specialists can help you find products and compare HAVC ratings to find the most efficient product that fits both your home’s needs and your budget. If you’re considering a furnace upgrade, we carry efficient options from Lennox and Daikin, world-leaders in home comfort systems.

Click here to contact us for more information about ratings and the products we carry.