HVAC SEER Rating: A Homeowner's Guide to Energy Efficiency

Understanding SEER Ratings: What Homeowners Need to Know

By Aztil – April 16, 2025

When it’s time to replace your climate control system, you get a lot of information thrown at you. The size of the unit in tonnage and the HVAC SEER rating. What does SEER even mean? Why should it matter to a homeowner? You feel like the HVAC company has its own language.

The SEER rating influences your energy bills, home comfort, and environmental footprint, so you need to consider the best rating for your needs. We want to help you understand this rating system, how it affects your HVAC system, and what to consider when choosing a new one.

What Is an HVAC SEER Rating?

The Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) rating measures the efficiency of your air conditioner or heat pump over the cooling season. It’s a way for you to easily compare one unit’s efficiency over another. A higher SEER rating indicates a higher efficiency.

How SEER Is Calculated

To get the SEER, you divide the unit’s cooling output over a season by the total electricity it consumes. For example, if a unit has a SEER rating of 18, it puts off 18 BTUs for every watt-hour of electricity it uses.

Why Does SEER Matter?

Does the SEER really matter? Yes, and here’s why.

Energy efficiency and lower utility bills: With a higher HVAC SEER rating, it takes less energy to cool your home, lowering your utility bills. When you upgrade from a model with a 10 SEER to one with a 16 SEER, you can save between 30 and 40 percent of your cooling costs.
Improved home comfort: Units with higher SEER ratings feature variable-speed compressors and fans, helping maintain more consistent indoor temperatures while reducing humidity. It also avoids frequent on/ off cycles and runs more quietly.
Environmental benefits: You reduce your home’s carbon footprint with increased efficiency. Most units with a high SEER provide eco-friendly refrigerants that comply with AIM Act regulations.

What Is a Good SEER Rating for Florida Homes?

We all know that the roads in Florida shimmer in the summer because the heat is melting them, and this is why you rely on your air conditioner to be in top form and energy efficient. Choosing the proper rating can help save you money while increasing your comfort. Here’s what you need to know:

Minimum: 15 SEER, required by law
Better Efficiency: 16-18 SEER
Best Performance: 20+ SEER

The ideal balance between cost and energy efficiency typically falls between 16 and 18 SEER.

SEER Rating vs. Real-World Savings

With a higher SEER and better energy efficiency, factors still affect your actual savings, such as home insulation, ductwork condition, and thermostat settings.

HVAC SEER Rating Savings Comparison

Here’s a look at the savings you can expect:

Upgrading from 10 SEER to 15 SEER saves around 33 percent
Upgrading from 10 SEER to 18 SEER saves around 44 percent
Upgrading from 10 SEER to 20+ SEER saves around 50 percent

A unit with a higher SEER does cost more upfront, but in the long run, it saves you money.

Choosing the Right SEER for Your Home

The SEER rating isn’t the only factor you should consider when it’s time to buy a new cooling unit for your home. Here are a few other factors to consider:

Size and layout of the home: You need a professional load calculation to ensure that you get the correct unit size for maximum efficiency.
Smart thermostat: This thermostat can help improve efficiency even more.
Condition of the ductwork: Leaking or uninsulated ductwork lowers efficiency even with a higher SEER-rated unit.
Budget and return on investment (ROI): You should consider your overall savings throughout the life of the unit.

Is a Higher SEER Always Better?

No, it isn’t. Even though a unit with a higher HVAC SEER rating offers better energy efficiency, it costs more upfront. To determine the best SEER for your home, consider:

How often do you run the air conditioning
How long do you plan to stay where you live
Your budget for a new system
Your home’s level of insulation and energy efficiency

If your home has an outdated HVAC system, an upgraded SEER rating can save you a lot of money.

Upgrade to a High-SEER HVAC System With Aztil Air

When it’s time to upgrade your HVAC system, Aztil Air is the company you can trust. We offer a selection of high SEER-rated air conditioners to help keep your home cool, comfortable, and cost-effective year-round. Contact us today to explore your options and find the perfect unit for your home.

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Bill Jordan

Arrived on time, performed services promptly and with great care. Very personable.

Inge Tannreuther

Very professional and good manners knows his job

Response from the owner:Hi Inge, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Aztil did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.

Frank Chiaramonte

Danna was excellent very professional very thorough. Explained everything I will definitely ask for him next time.

Response from the owner:Hi Frank, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Dana did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.

Doreen D

Niko was on time and very polite. He checked my AC unit out thoroughly. Bushes were in the way of the condenser outside and he offered to trim them. I would be happy to have him service my AC unit again.

Response from the owner:Hi Doreen, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Niko did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.

colletta hochberg

Niko is as very professional and polite.

Response from the owner:Hi Colletta, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Niko did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.

Nancy Martone

Jordan and Rafael were excellent to work with. They cleaned our air ducts. They competed diagnostics and were able to show us the improvement in our system. We had cleaner vents and better air flow. They also cleaned up all the debris. Thank you!

Response from the owner:Hi Nancy, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Jordan and Rafael did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.

Sherrie Hall

Niko was very knowledgeable, professsional, personable, and patient with all my questions as he went through the tune up. He was good about sharing what he was doing and what he found. He left a very neat area around the AC, caring enough to sweep up some debris. I appreciate him coming earlier than expected today. Excellent employee/person.

Response from the owner:Hi Sherrie, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Niko did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.

Jeff Moss

Dana was our tech and he was professional, efficient and most helpful/clear on discussing our issues and solutions.

Response from the owner:Hi Jeff, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Dana did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.

cheo Mora

I was told it was going to take 4 to 5 . It took over 8 hours, and after that, I cleaned up after that swept lots screws where I parked my vehicles. There were two technicians, but it looked like only one of them was doing all the work.

Response from the owner:Hello Cheo, Thank you for taking time to provide feedback about your experience with our company. We completely understand your frustration and apologize for any dissatisfaction that may have caused your day. We are eager to discuss this experience with you. Please call our customer service manager, Jack. He can be reached at (561) 202-8726. It is our goal to make sure we resolve any issue we can and look forward to speaking with you.

Mark Vukich

Ramon is great to talk to.

Response from the owner:Hi Mark, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Ramon did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.

Melanie Mayer

Dana and Jordan did a great job today helping get our AC cleaned and sanitized after we had a house fire.

Response from the owner:Hi Melanie, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Dana did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.

Emily Cotellese

Niko was pleasant, respectful and very informative. Gave us options and was not pushy! Thank you

Response from the owner:Hi Emily, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Niko did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.

Chris Curcurito

Dana, the service tech is wonderful. He methodically checked my ac until he was able to pinpoint the reason it was not working. Very happy with his service.

Response from the owner:Hi Chris, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Dana did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.

Pamela Rush

Polite; on time; did work neatly and completely

Response from the owner:Hi Pamela, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Aztil did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.

Judith Greenberg

I had scheduled an appointment with Aztil for the regular 6 month visit. I had no idea there was mold inside the units. Tino took pictures of inside the units to show me. He installed 2 air treatment systems to stop the mold that have a lifetime warranty. Now the mold will not return. I'm very happy with Azril's service and honesty. That's why I have been a long time customer.

Response from the owner:Hi Judith, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Tino did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.

cassandra mattis

Exceptional customer service from Niko….

Response from the owner:Hi Cassandra, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Niko did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.

Keith Baer

We had a great first time experience with Aztil AC. Paul Gross did a fantastic job for our spring tuneup. He found some necessary maintenance issues that were not addressed by the previous owners and explained everything very thoroughly. Highly recommended.

Response from the owner:Hi keith, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Paul did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.

Jason Wilson

Niko did a great job servicing our A/C unit

Response from the owner:Hi Jason, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Niko did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.

j j scotti

The most polite young men. Clean and neat. Terrific service. On time.
Very professional. Aztil is fabulous.

Response from the owner:Hi JJ, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Aztil did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.

bethperrotta

Niko my Aztil serviceman was on time, very helpful. and patient with all my questions during my 6 month A/C check. I would highly recommend him to others.

Response from the owner:Hi Beth, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Niko did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.

John Magliulo

Niko was a very good tech and answered all my questions.

Response from the owner:Hi John, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Niko did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.

Alice Tarone

Niko Garza was a five star technician and person! He was friendly, but polite, knowledgeable and competent. I was very very pleased!

Response from the owner:Hi Alice, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Niko did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.

bob shulman

Niko is the best.

Response from the owner:Hi Bob, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Niko did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.

Richard Gollarza

Everything good, but the timeframe! It’s suppose to arrive between 8 am and 12 and he arrive at 1:30pm. But was knowledgeable and kind.

Response from the owner:Hi Richard, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Aztil did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.

Richard Grossman

Alex was wonderful. He was efficient and very personable. Alex did a great job cleaning our ducts and dryer vent.
Aztil is a great company with people that really care. Excellent communication and knowledgable technicians. I highly recommend Aztil.

Response from the owner:Dear Richard Grossman, Thank you for your glowing review! We're so glad to hear that you had such an excellent experience with Lazarro and Antonio. We pride ourselves on providing top-notch service and are thrilled that you have chosen to sign a 5 year contract with us. We look forward to continuing to provide you with the best service possible. Thank you again for your kind words. Sincerely, AZTIL

Leslie Garcia

Dana Dussualt was professional, timely and hospitable. Thank you!

Response from the owner:Hi Leslie, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Dana did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.

Robert Dollinger

I had a wonderful experience with Aztil AC company. We had a leak coming from our AC and called the 24/7 emergency line on a Sat. at 5:00PM before Easter Sunday. The representative called and Mr. Antonio Moreno was our technician, a certified Rhem specialist. He was able to diagnose the problem and provided the service. We also signed up for a Service Contract, something we were planning to do and which saved us the service call charge. He was so pleasant, professional, and helpful. We will be calling for future services and request Mr. Moreno. What a superb experience and I highly recommend Aztil AC for your AC needs. Thank you.

Response from the owner:Hi Robert, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Antonio did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.

Martha Jo Blake

Response from the owner:Hi Martha, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Aztil did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.

Donna Simon

Dana was so kind, courteous and most professional. He came right after Christmas to service our air conditioner that wasn’t working. He is an asset to your company.

Response from the owner:Thank you so much for the kind words, Donna Simon! We are so glad to hear that Juan Ortega provided excellent service. He is indeed an asset to our company and we appreciate your feedback.

rory doyle

Ramon was an excellent technician to service our A/C unit. Extremely knowledgeable, friendly and very helpful. Highly recommend!

Response from the owner:Hi Rory, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Ramon did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.

Ilene Mack

Nico and Adrian were great. Cleaned my ac and found an oil leak. Very personable.

Response from the owner:Hi Ilene, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Niko and Adrian did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.

Estrella Castro

Niko and Adrian were very professional and knowledgeable and efficient in the service they provided. They were very helpful in pointing out what I will be needing in the near future and what my options would be I was very pleased with their service.

Response from the owner:Hi Estrella, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Niko and Adrian did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.

Karl Lundquist

Response from the owner:Hi Karl, We're so glad to hear that Aztil did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.

Beatriz Magaña

Jordan y Adrian fueron muy profesionales. Nos explicaron muy bien todo lo que hicieron, tomaron fotos del antes y después.
Dejaron todo limpio y en orden.

Response from the owner:Hi Beatriz, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Jordan and Adrian did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.

CIHRHH H.

Rafael and Asiel installed my new A/C today. They were super. Everything went as planned. I am a happy camper.

Response from the owner:Hi Cihrhh, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Rafael and Asiel did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.

Frank Waters

Dana was excellent and very professional.
I would recommend him and will ask for him in the future.

John Nelson

On time, know his job, well done!!
Very much satisfied ! Marc was a pleasure to have in our home! Even the bulldog liked him!!

Response from the owner:Hi John, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Marco did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.

Melissa Paige

Lazaro was efficient, fast & punctual. He got our unit fixed with cool air running in no time. Thank you for fixing our AC!

Response from the owner:Hi Melissa, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Lazaro did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.

michael maier

Response from the owner:Hi Michael, We're so glad to hear that Aztil did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.

Alvin Hagans

Excellent job by Niko

Response from the owner:Hi Alvin, We're so glad to hear that Niko did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.

Timothy Shay

Rafael was great. He explained what he was doing throughout his repair

Response from the owner:Hi Timothy, We're so glad to hear that Rafael did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.

David Wind

Our air conditioner broke down. We called Atzil and they sent Antonio Moreno over within an hour. He assessed the problem to be a burned out motor and ordered the new one. It was still under warranty. He said it would be in within two days and installed so hopefully that’ll be so and
I will update this when that happens

Response from the owner:Hi David, We're so glad to hear that Antonio did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.

Sandra Sheptin

Dana was excellent!!! Highly recommend him to everyone!

Response from the owner:Hi Sandra, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Dana did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.

Cari Adamonis

The AC maintenance service was excellent. Niko Garza was professional, helpful, kind, and was instrumental in arranging for the next Senior Technician to solve the AC problem that I am having. That service will be sometime today. He also recommended the dryer vent cleaning and the in-line AC cleaning, of which I scheduled for Monday and paid today. My husband has been very ill for the past 4 years and in the hospital right now. Aztil has arranged the services, after Niko explained the situation, so that they will be completed before he comes home because a patient on oxygen and a feeding tube cannot be without power to the whole house, even a short shut down would endanger him. Thank you Niko!

Technician Rick Cochran did an excellent job replacing the AC breaker and ensuring that everything was in correct working condition. I really appreciated his kindness and professional demeanor. Thank you Rick!

Today Technician Alex Molina completed the services (dryer lint trap cleaning and inline air handler cleaning). Once again, I was fortunate to have a professional, gracious, and thoughtful person come to my house to perform the services. Thank you so much Alex!

Response from the owner:Hi Admonis, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Niko did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.

Rita Tellasson

Niko great performance

Response from the owner:Hi Rita, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Niko did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.

ENRICO MARTINO

TVery good service from Niko

Response from the owner:Hi Enrico, thank you for your kind words! We're so glad to hear that Niko did an excellent job and that you were pleased with the outcome. Thank you for being a valued customer.

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