What’s a Good SEER2 Rating?

By Anne Fonda

If you have an old central air conditioning system or heat pump that needs more frequent repairs and is failing to keep your house comfortable, you’re smart to be doing your research. In this article, we’ll guide you through what SEER means in HVAC, SEER vs SEER2, and more.

One of the most important metrics in a cooling system is its SEER2 rating. SEER stands for seasonal energy efficient ratio. The rating was simply SEER until January 1, 2023, when the Department of Energy (DOE) enacted new energy efficiency standards for residential and commercial HVAC equipment.

A SEER2 rating measures a cooling unit’s average cooling output efficiency over a range of temperatures in a typical cooling season. You could compare it to your car’s miles per gallon (MPG) rating over a range of driving conditions (city + highway).

As with higher MPG, the higher the SEER2 rating, the more efficient the AC or heat pump is at cooling your home. More energy-efficient units will cool and dehumidify your home better, providing you with optimal comfort.

If you have previously purchased an air conditioner or heat pump, you may have heard of the term SEER. SEER ratings were in effect for equipment manufactured before 2023, and SEER2 ratings are assigned to equipment manufactured starting in January of 2023.

SEER2 regulations require that cooling units be more efficient than older units. It’s all in an ongoing effort to reduce energy consumption in the United States. The new efficiency standards also better reflect real-world conditions in the testing environment.

When the DOE updated the seasonal energy efficiency ratio metrics from SEER to SEER2, they set new minimum AC SEER2 ratings and heat pump SEER2 ratings for newly manufactured units sold in the United States. Check out the map below to see what the minimum AC SEER2 efficiency rating is for your part of the country.

For split system heat pumps, the minimum SEER2 is 14.3, and for packaged units, it’s 13.4.

The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA) includes several financial incentives to help homeowners upgrade their HVAC systems to more efficient systems. Incentives include:

To qualify, the unit must be more efficient than the minimum SEER2 unit. The ENERGY-STAR®-qualifying SEER2 rating is the same for split systems, packaged heat pumps, and central AC units - equal to or greater than 15.2 SEER2.

If you opt for a heat pump system because of all the financial incentives and a wish to move away from fossil fuels, you will also want to pay attention to the heating seasonal performance factor (HSPF2) rating.

With American Standard, SEER2 cooling efficiency ratings for central AC units range from up to 13.4 (in the South) to up to 21.5 SEER2 for our most efficient variable speed unit.

For our heat pumps, SEER2 ratings range from up to 14.8 to up to 20.5 for our most efficient variable speed unit. Mini-split systems may have an even higher SEER2 depending on the indoor unit.

Keep in mind that those “up to” numbers are when the unit is operating at its most efficient in ideal conditions. To achieve the highest efficiency, you will want to keep up with routine HVAC maintenance including changing your air filters and scheduling professional HVAC service.

Now that you know a little bit more about what SEER2 means, consider what a good rating means to you. Is it a rating that is “good enough” and the most affordable option? Or is it a SEER2 that qualifies a unit for tax credits and/or rebates? Or is it the most efficient unit?

Single-stage units generally have a lower SEER2 rating and may struggle to dehumidify your home. Meanwhile, higher SEER2 units like variable speed systems do a better job of decreasing humidity and offering even cooling. Think about it this way - 74 and humid does not feel as comfortable as 76 with low humidity.

A more efficient system can help you lower your energy consumption and provide energy savings for years to come. Learn more about single-stage, two-stage, and variable speed systems.

If you’re in the market for a new air conditioner or heat pump system, explore our savings and offers page. Simply enter your zip code to see offers near you. While air conditioner offers are mainly similar across the country, heat pump offers will vary depending on what state you live in, your income, and how far along your state is in the IRA heat pump rebate programs.

Your local American Standard dealer can help walk you through the options for your home to help you find the HVAC system best suited for your climate, your heating and cooling needs, your budget, and your sustainability goals.

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 Kimberly Sexton, Senior Systems Engineer