The Department of Energy (DOE) released stricter guidelines regarding energy efficiency requirements and testing for heat pumps and air conditioners that took effect on 1st January 2023. In the new release, DOE will start using new M1 testing methods representing the actual conditions in the field. This will be reflected in HSPF2, SEER2, SEER, and EER2. Hence, when purchasing an air conditioner or heat pump, consult your reliable AC repair company to determine whether the unit you want to buy meets the new standards. If you are a heat pump, AC, or HVAC appliance vendor, this could seem daunting, especially if you had stoked your warehouse with older appliances. This article will give you everything you need about 2023 energy efficiency requirements.

What are SEER Ratings?

Have you ever bought a new air conditioner for your office or home? Are you in the market in search of a new unit? If you have, then SEER is a term you might have heard. SEER is an acronym for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio and is determined by dividing your air conditioner’s cooling output over a regular season by the total amount of energy the unit uses in watt-hours. The ratio obtained from this equation is your AC unit’s SEER number that determines its efficiency. A higher rating means saving more on energy use and costs; the reverse is true. However, you are recommended to consult your AC repair company representative as the requirements for calculating the SEER changes with time. This enhances testing procedures and efficiency to ensure the air conditioner becomes more energy efficient. For instance, the DOE has updated the SEER ratings for 2023.

Previous SEER Ratings

The Department of Energy or DOE has increased the SEER ratings for 2023, and these changes take effect in all regions across the US. Seeing that representatives and technicians from your AC repair company could already know the changes, it also makes sense that you catch up. Under the previous regulations, the minimum SEER for any new HVAC installation was 14.0 for the Southern and 13.0 for the Northern areas. However, the current SEER ratings are as follows:

Any new split system air conditioner installation with over 45K Btu/h will need to have 14.5 SEER. On the other hand, installation of split systems having below 45K Btu/h means that the unit should have a minimum of 15.0 SEER. However, these are ratings for those living in the Southern United States. This means you must know the amount of Btu/h your unit uses to get the specific SEER that helps you determine the amount of heat an air conditioner removes every hour. Hence, it is critical that you consult your nearby AC repair company if you are planning a new HVAC installation or to replace your older unit. Remember, they are meant to help you and the environment.

New 2023 SEER2 Ratings

SEER2? What does it mean? As mentioned above, SEER stands for the Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio. Besides the increased SEER ratings, the new regulations introduce an updated rating system version. From 1st January 2023, the DOE will test new heating and air conditioning systems using a newer M1 blower testing procedure. The new ratio is SEER2. Eventually, SEER2 will be the new standard for your air conditioning and heating system’s energy efficiency because SEER is gradually being discontinued. However, the two are still used until SEER is completely phased out. So, ensure that you always are in touch with your AC repair company to know when the older rating is finally discontinued or to upgrade to a system that uses SEER2.

You can determine the SEER2 rating of your air conditioner the same way you can find the SEER rating. It will be printed on the Energy Guide Label of your air conditioner. However, your system’s SEER2 will be based on Btu/h. For split air conditioners having lower than 45k Btu/h, any new installation should have at least a 14.3 SEER2. For units over or equal to 45k Btu/h, any installation should be at least 13.8. This means that an AC repair company cannot install any unit that doesn’t meet these SEER ratings in the Southern region of the U.S.

Difference Between SEER2 and SEER

Though SEER2 ratings will serve the same function/purpose as the initial SEER ratings, DOE has asserted that they will be tested using a different procedure and even calculated differently. SEER ratings were tested using the M test process, while SEER2 was tested using the M1 testing procedure. The newer testing has more rigorous guidelines and is efficient and more accurate than the initial M tests. It is for this reason that SEER2 is lower than SEER. Hence, it would benefit you more if you have an AC repair company install a unit whose efficiency has been tested using the M1 test procedure.

This stricter testing will completely replace the M test process over time. These new guidelines mean that your air conditioner will become more efficient and intuitive to your home cooling needs. The cost of new heating and AC units might increase to adapt to the changes. However, having an AC repair company install the new unit will save energy consumption and costs in the long run.

Other Updates for 2023

Besides introducing the SEER2 rating, there are additional changes to heat pump ratings. DOE has raised the SEER ratings for the heat pumps to 15 SEER nationwide. However, if your heat pump has a 14 SEER rating and was manufactured before the effective date, you still can have a heating and AC repair company install it even after 1st January 2023.

Find the Right Unit

Do you have questions about installing the AC and heat pump or new energy efficiency ratings? Contact us at One Hour Air Conditioning & Heating of Prescott for more information and professional services. We will give you a free consultation.

See our previous blog on this topic here.

Photo By OH