What if we told you, it’s best to get a new air conditioner now, this year? You’d probably want more of an explanation! Here’s what’s going on:
On January 1, 2023, a new federal law goes into effect called SEER2.
SEER stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio. It’s a way of measuring how much energy an air conditioner uses to cool a home for an entire season. The higher the SEER rating, the more efficient the unit is.
The new SEER2 A/C Standards for 2023 will make it illegal to sell or manufacture any air conditioner that doesn’t meet new, much higher efficiency standards. The minimum SEER rating for a new installation A/C will jump from 13 to 14 nationwide.
You might think, “That doesn’t sound like much.” But it actually eliminates a significant amount of inventory for most manufacturers and retailers, as SEER 13 air conditioner units are already quite efficient. Also, this law changes the definition of SEER, so that units will have lower ratings when measured by the new standards. So, a 15 SEER unit would be considered a 14.5 under the new system.
And, here in Orange County, because we have a longer cooling season than most of the country, the minimum SEER rating will be even higher. It will be 14.3! Again, this is to account for the fact that our A/C’s will be running longer each year.
If a home air conditioner was manufactured before 2013, it probably has a SEER rating of 13 or lower. That means, starting in 2023, it will be illegal to sell or install that unit in Orange County!
The result? The price of a new air conditioner will go up, probably by at least 10-20%, and the selection of A/C units available for purchase will be limited to only the most efficient models.
So, if you’re planning to buy a new air conditioner in the next few years, it makes sense to do it sooner rather than later. You’ll save money and get a unit that will be grandfathered in under the old, more generous efficiency standards before the laws pass that will likely increase the price of a new air conditioner by several hundred dollars.
So if you’re thinking about buying a new air conditioner, you might want to do it sooner rather than later. We can help you choose the right unit for your home and budget, and make sure it’s installed perfectly to boot! Give us a call anytime at (714) 602-1299, or schedule an appointment online, and we can help you solve this problem!