How The Meaning Of AFUE, HSPF And SEER Can Effect Your Household Budget.

nment regulations and standards are becomingelectric power used.
more stringent with manufactures heating andThe industry standard rating system compares
cooling systems. The goals of these regulationsBTUs of heat output to watts of electrical energy
are increased energy efficiency and products thatconsumed. There are 3.4 BTUs per watt of
are environmentally friendly. All manufactures nowelectricity; an HSPF of 6.8 corresponds roughly
display these ratings on their product to help thewith an averaged factor of 2. Remember a 6.8
consumer make informed choices.HSPF is required as a minimum for
This article’s goal is to help the consumertoday’s heat pump.
understand the manufacture's ratings as youHSPF is an abbreviation for Heating Seasonal
consider purchasing a new home appliance.Performance Factor. It is the most commonly
AFUE (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency) is theused measure of the heating efficiency of heat
standard measurement of efficiency for gas andpumps. (The cooling efficiency of a heat pump is
oil-fired furnaces. Given in percentages, thismeasured by its SEER.) The important takeaway
number tells you how much of your fuel is usedfrom this definition is that the HSPF is a seasonal
to heat your home and how much fuel is wasted.measure (meaning that it takes into account the
The higher the AFUE rating, the greater thefact that the heat pumps rarely for as long as is
efficiency. If a furnace has a rating of 80% AFUEoptimal during Spring and Fall). A heat pump with a
rating, the furnace converts 80% of the fuel thathigh HSPF is more efficient than a heat pump with
you supply to heat -- the other 20% is lost outa low HSPF. New heat pumps manufactured after
of the chimney.2005 are required to have an HSPF of at least
Cost Savings:If you have an older furnace (with7.7. The most efficient heat pumps have an HSPF
an AFUE of approximately 60%), you could saveof 10.
up to 40% on your heating bills by replacing itWhat is SEER? How does it apply to the energy
with a new high efficiency furnace! The cost toefficiency of air conditioners? The efficiency of
replace your old, inefficient furnace is paid backcentral air conditioning units is governed by U.S.
through lower utility bills.law and regulated by the U.S. Department of
HSPF (Heating Seasonal Performance Factor) isEnergy (DOE). Every air conditioning unit is
the efficiency measurement used to gauge theassigned an efficiency rating known as its
efficiency of the heating mode of heat pumps.“seasonal energy efficiency ratio”
The higher the number, the greater the efficiencyor SEER. The SEER is defined as the total cooling
and cost-savings. Today's models of heat pumpsoutput (in British thermal units or Btu) provided by
are required to have a 6.8 HSPF..the unit during its normal annual usage period
Cost Savings: Higher efficiency in heat pumps anddivided by its total energy input (in watt-hours)
air conditioners usually means higher intialduring the same period.
equipment cost but lower utility bills. If you live inAfter finalizing a seven-year public review
a warm and/or humid climate, you will probablyprocess, the Clinton Administration improved the
see the higher cost of a high efficiency airair conditioner efficiency standard from SEER 10,
conditioner or heat pump paid back (through lowerwhich was established by Congress in 1987, to
utility bills) in a few short years.SEER 13.
The Heating Season Performance Factor, orSEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) is the
HSPF, can be thought of as the "averaged factor"measure of efficiency by which the cooling
for an entire heating season. HSPF is calculated byprocess of air conditioners and heat pumps is
taking the total annual heating requirements,rated. The higher the SEER number, the greater
including all energy inputs (defrost and back-upthe efficiency—and therefore greater
heating energy included) divided by the totalenergy savings.