What Does SEER Mean?

What do SEER and EER mean?

Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (S.E.E.R.) is the most commonly used measurement of how efficient (in BTUs) an air conditioner is during the warming season or heat pump is during the entire cooling season as compared to the total electric input (in watt/hours) consumed during the same period. Basically, a measurement using an average outdoor temperature to rate the efficiency of the air conditioner. If this were a car, this would compare to highway miles per gallon.  SEER has nothing to do with the capacity (in tons) of an air conditioner or heat pump-just its efficiency.

Energy Efficiency Ratio  (E.E.R.) is the measurement of efficiency an air conditioner or heat pump has at a specific outdoor temperature of 95°F.  This ratio is expressed in BTUh/watt. I like this ratio better because it shows a better real world efficiency of the air conditioner or heat pump. If this were a car, it would compare to the city mileage, which is more relevant.  Like SEER, EER has nothing to do with the capacity (in tons) of an air conditioner or heat pump-just its efficiency.