With our HVAC questions, we turn to Brian at Keller Services. People often ask about the SEER at properties. They want to know what the SEER rating is, and if you don’t know how to answer that, Brian is going to help explain what it means.
Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio
SEER stands for the Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio. This is how much it will cost you per year to operate a cooling unit. The government mandates how efficient these appliances and systems need to be. Right now, the lowest we can put in is a 14 SEER. That’s where the systems start. You can go up to a 16 SEER, 20 SEER, and 24 SEER system. The higher the SEER rating, the more expensive the system will be to purchase, but you’ll pay less with your electric bill.
SEER Ratings and Rental Properties
So, for rental properties, we want to provide good homes to good people. But most landlords are going to be more concerned with upfront costs than with the monthly electric bill. In rental properties, you’re probably not going to spend a lot of money on air conditioning units with a higher SEER rating. You’ll find that most rental properties have a 14 SEER unit.
Cost Difference in SEER Ratings
When it comes to shopping for an air conditioning unit, you’ll notice the price difference in SEER rated systems. The cost difference between a 14 SEER and a 16 SEER is about $1,000. That’s reasonable. However, once you bump up your price comparisons to an 18 SEER or a 20 SEER, you’ll see a big price difference. It will cost thousands of dollars more to buy a more efficient unit. That’s why you don’t usually see those in rental properties.
If you have any questions about SEER ratings and how your rental property in Fort Worth is affected, please contact us at McCaw Property Management.