The new heating & air system you were quoted… did it come with an AHRI Certificate? AHRI, which stands for “Air-Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institution,” is an independent governing body which tests HVAC system matches and certifies SEER ratings.
What is a system match?
- In a gas fired heating system, this includes the outdoor condensing unit, the indoor evaporator coil and furnace (which contains the fan blower).
- In an all-electric heat pump system, this includes the outdoor condensing unit (sometimes referred to as the heat pump) and indoor air handler (which contains the fan blower and evaporator coil).
A SEER rating is the combination of those above components. Do not be misled by brand nomenclature. If the outdoor unit is a X-18, for example, this does not mean you have an 18 SEER system. Usually, one matched configuration can attain 18 SEER, but not all configurations. System tonnage/sizing can alter the ultimate efficiency rating.
Always, always, always ask for an AHRI Certificate for any system you are potentially investing in.
Craig Sopo 