Seer Ratings For Heat - Pumps

Mark sold his 22 SEER unit on Facebook Marketplace at a loss. He replaced it with an 18 SEER / 12.5 HSPF cold-climate model. His summer bills rose $15/month. His winter bills dropped $400/month.

is a measure of cooling output divided by electric input over a typical summer. Higher SEER (16–20+) is great for hot climates like Florida or Texas. seer ratings for heat pumps

Dave sighed. “Mark, I told you about HSPF. You wanted the big SEER number.” Mark sold his 22 SEER unit on Facebook Marketplace at a loss

At 25°F, the air from the vents turned tepid—not cold, but not the toasty blast they expected from their old oil furnace. At 15°F, the unit started running constantly. At 5°F, it simply stopped heating effectively and switched to emergency electric resistance heat. His winter bills dropped $400/month

| What High SEER Tells You | What High SEER Hides | | :--- | :--- | | Excellent summer cooling efficiency | Nothing about heating performance | | Lower peak electric demand in July | Could mean a weaker, single-stage compressor that struggles in winter | | Qualifies for some energy rebates (summer-focused) | May have terrible HSPF (heating efficiency) |

Logline: When the Martins moved into their drafty Vermont colonial, they thought a high-SEER heat pump was the ultimate flex. But as winter descended, they learned the hard way that not all efficiency ratings are created equal. Act I: The Summer of the Big Number Mark and Lisa Martin were tired of window AC units roaring in every bedroom. Their HVAC contractor, a smooth talker named Dave, pitched a solution: a new ductless heat pump system with a SEER rating of 22 .

Don’t be Mark. Don’t chase a high SEER number like a trophy. Match the rating to your climate. A heat pump is a year-round appliance. Judge it by its coldest performance, not its hottest boast.