If you haven’t heard, as of January 1, 2023, the federal government made some major changes within the HVAC industry.
As part of a nationwide initiative to manage climate change, all new HVAC equipment will be required to have a higher SEER rating.
The SEER is the seasonal energy efficiency ratio, and it measures the energy efficiency of all HVAC units. Under the new regulations, all new HVAC units in the northern part of the country are required to have a minimum SEER2 rating of 14 and 15 for the southern states. Prior to the change the northern states were required to have a minimum of 3 and 14 for the South. While the change doesn’t sound significant since the rating only went up by 1 digit, the way this new HVAC equipment will be manufactured will change because of the higher SEER rating. Unfortunately, this means the cost of manufacturing new HVAC equipment will increase and the manufacturers will then pass that cost down to the HVAC providers which will then be an extra cost for the consumers. So, if you need to purchase a new HVAC unit in 2023, chances are, you will be spending more money than ever before. The good news is, if your HVAC doesn’t need to be replaced, you are not required to upgrade your unit to comply with the new rating. However, with an older HVAC unit, you might have issues finding parts when they are needed. Personally, I have an older HVAC unit that is still highly efficient, but I know that I will need to replace it soon. For now, I will keep my unit for as long as possible and will upgrade once the unit loses its efficiency.