HVAC
HVAC SEER Savings Calculator
Compare the running cost of two efficiency levels so the saving can be weighed against the price difference honestly.
Result
Savings scale inversely with SEER, which is a good approximation but assumes identical run hours and correct installation. A high-SEER system on leaky ducts will not deliver its rated efficiency.
Get a Free Business AuditWhat moves the number
- Run hours, which decide whether an efficiency gain is worth anything at all.
- The efficiency difference in real terms rather than the headline rating gap.
- Energy price, and whether it is likely to move.
Where this one goes wrong
Presenting the saving without the payback. A higher efficiency system costs more up front, and whether that is a good decision depends on run hours, energy price and how long the customer will own the building. The arithmetic should be shown rather than the conclusion asserted.
Questions
About this calculator
Is a higher efficiency system always worth it?
No. In a climate with few run hours the saving may never recover the price difference. In a hot climate with long seasons it often does. The honest answer comes from the customer's run hours, not from a general claim.
Do the ratings translate directly to bill savings?
Not exactly. Ratings are measured at defined test conditions, and real performance varies with weather, load, duct condition and installation quality. Treat the comparison as directional.
What else affects the saving?
Installation quality and duct condition, often more than the rating. A high efficiency unit on leaky ducts with poor airflow will not deliver its rated advantage.
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How to use this calculator
- System capacity (BTU/h). Enter your own figure; the page starts at 36,000.
- Current SEER. Enter your own figure; the page starts at 10.
- New SEER. Enter your own figure; the page starts at 18.
- Cooling hours per year. Enter your own figure; the page starts at 1,200.
- Electricity rate per kWh ($). Enter your own figure; the page starts at $0.16.
- Extra cost of the higher SEER unit ($). Enter your own figure; the page starts at $2,200.
The result updates as you type, so you can try a figure, see what it does to annual saving, and change it back. Nothing you enter is sent anywhere or saved.
A worked example
These are the figures the calculator opens with. Every number in the results column below is produced by the same calculation the page runs, so you can follow it through before putting your own figures in.
What goes in
| Input | Value |
|---|---|
| System capacity (BTU/h) | 36,000 |
| Current SEER | 10 |
| New SEER | 18 |
| Cooling hours per year | 1,200 |
| Electricity rate per kWh | $0.16 |
| Extra cost of the higher SEER unit | $2,200 |
What comes out
| Result | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual saving main result | $307.20 |
| Payback on the upgrade | 7.2 years |
| Current annual running cost | $691.20 |
| New annual running cost | $384 |
Going from 10 to 18 SEER saves $307.20 a year, paying back the extra cost in 7.2 years.
How sensitive the answer is
Holding everything else steady and changing only electricity rate per kwh, this is what happens to annual saving. It is worth knowing which of your inputs the answer actually hinges on, and which barely move it.
| Electricity rate per kWh ($) | Annual saving |
|---|---|
| $0.08 | $153.60 |
| $0.12 | $230.40 |
| $0.16 example above | $307.20 |
| $0.24 | $460.80 |
| $0.32 | $614.40 |
Every other input is held at the example value while this one changes, which is not how a real job behaves. Treat it as a guide to which number matters most, not as five separate quotes.
What each figure means
- System capacity (BTU/h)
- A number, between 0 and 500000, starting at 36,000.
- Current SEER
- A number, between 0 and 40, starting at 10.
- New SEER
- A number, between 0 and 40, starting at 18.
- Cooling hours per year
- A number, between 0 and 8760, starting at 1,200.
- Electricity rate per kWh ($)
- A money amount, starting at $0.16.
- Extra cost of the higher SEER unit ($)
- A money amount, starting at $2,200.
What the results tell you
| Result | What it is |
|---|---|
| Annual saving | The headline result. A money figure. |
| Payback on the upgrade | A number. |
| Current annual running cost | A money figure. |
| New annual running cost | A money figure. |
Before you rely on this number
Sizing, capacity and load figures here are planning estimates. A real installation depends on the manufacturer's data for the specific equipment, the duct system it is going into, and a proper load calculation for the building. Use this to sanity-check a number or price a job, not to select equipment.
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