SEER Rating Comparison Calculator
Compare two air conditioning units with different SEER ratings to estimate annual energy consumption and cost savings.
Typical home: 18,000–60,000 BTU/hr
Typical range: 500–3,000 hrs/year
Older/baseline unit (min federal: 13–14)
Newer/high-efficiency unit
US average ≈ $0.13/kWh (2024)
Typical AC lifespan: 15–20 years
Formulas Used
Annual Energy Consumption (kWh/year):
Energy = (Cooling Load [BTU/hr] × Annual Hours) ÷ (SEER × 1,000)
SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) is defined as the total cooling output (BTU) divided by the total electrical energy input (Watt-hours) over a typical cooling season. Dividing by 1,000 converts Watt-hours to kilowatt-hours.
Annual Operating Cost:
Cost ($/year) = Annual Energy (kWh) × Electricity Rate ($/kWh)
Annual Savings (Unit B vs. Unit A):
Energy Savings = Energy_A − Energy_B
Cost Savings = Cost_A − Cost_B
Efficiency Gain (%):
Efficiency Gain = ((SEER_B − SEER_A) ÷ SEER_A) × 100