SEER Rating

SEER stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio, and it tells you how efficiently a cooling system uses electricity over a typical cooling season. A higher number means lower energy bills. Most older window units or central air systems land around 10-14 SEER. Modern mini splits often hit 20 SEER or higher, especially ones with inverter compressors. It's not the only thing that matters when choosing a system, but it gives you a solid apples-to-apples comparison of operating costs. Think of it like MPG for your car — the higher the number, the further your dollar goes. The federal ENERGY STAR program sets the efficiency thresholds equipment has to clear, and you can look up a specific system's certified rating in the AHRI Directory.