By Anne Fonda
SEER stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio and measures the cooling efficiency of a heat pump or air conditioner. It’s an average of efficiency over an entire season when temperatures range from 65°F to 104°F. The higher the SEER2 rating, the more efficiently it cools your home.
SEER2 is an updated version of SEER set by the Department of Energy (DOE) that went into effect on January 1, 2023. SEER2 mimics real-world conditions more accurately than SEER by utilizing the M1 blower testing procedure.
As a result, all newly manufactured central air conditioners must have:
As of the same date, ducted heat pumps must meet the following requirements:
For clarity, the following table shows which states are included in which region for the purposes of SEER2 requirements.
| North | Southeast | Southwest |
| Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Delaware, New York, New Jersey, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Maine | Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida | California, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico |
EER stands for Energy Efficiency Ratio. While SEER2 is an average efficiency rating, EER2 measures cooling efficiency at the peak need when the outdoor temperature is 95°F, the indoor temperature is 80°F, and the humidity is 50%. Work with your American Standard dealer to determine which metric is more important in your area.
It depends.
“A higher SEER2 may be more important in hot climates that have long, hot, and humid summers vs a region with short and mild summer temperatures. Lower SEER2 systems are generally less expensive to buy; however, they use more power to operate. You’ll need to weigh purchase price vs the long-term cost benefits of a more efficient system.”
-Mark Woodruff, Senior Product Manager, Air Conditioners
To learn more, read our blog What Is a Good SEER2 Rating?
The best SEER2 for your new air conditioner or heat pump depends on multiple factors, such as home size and layout, number of occupants, climate, and more. That’s why it’s important to talk to your American Standard Customer Care Dealer™ before investing in a system. They can walk you through your options to help you make the right choice for your home comfort. Be sure to ask about HVAC financing.
A Content Writer with Trane Technologies, Anne Fonda researches topics and writes for Trane® and associated residential HVAC brands. She works in collaboration with Trane Technologies subject matter experts, offering easy-to-understand, informative content on complex topics. Her goal is to help consumers make informed decisions on the products and services they need.
She has written for HVAC and other service provider websites for over 16 years. Before transitioning to web content writing, Anne had a 14-year stint as an award-winning journalist. She graduated cum laude from the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Journalism. When she’s not working, Anne enjoys playing word games, reading, gardening, spending time with family, and visiting gardens and museums.
Expert review by Mark Woodruff, Senior Product Manager, Ducted Air Conditioners
Learn how a heat pump works and why it may be an energy-saving upgrade to your HVAC system. Count on American Standard for quality HVAC equipment and advice.
HSPF2 measures the efficiency of a heat pump over an entire heating season. The higher the HSPF2, the more efficient the heat pump.
Central air conditioning utilizes a series of ducts to remove heat and humidity from your home, place it outside, and re-distribute it throughout all rooms to ultimately decrease the indoor temperature.
EER, or Energy Efficiency Ratio, measures the cooling efficiency of an air conditioner or heat pump at the outdoor temperature of 95°F. The higher the EER, the more efficient the system.
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