Seer Ratings For Heat Pumps -

The Martins were sold. The install was clean. That August, the house felt like a wine cellar. Their electric bill dropped 30% compared to the window units. Mark posted a smug photo on Facebook: “Go big or go home. 22 SEER. #Winning.”

Mark asked Mr. Chen, “But isn’t 18 SEER worse than my 22?” seer ratings for heat pumps

The Martin’s 22 SEER unit had a terrible (Heating Seasonal Performance Factor)—only 8.2. It was a cooling machine that could sort-of heat. For Vermont winters, they needed a cold-climate heat pump with an HSPF above 10 and a low-temperature rating. SEER had nothing to do with it. Act III: The Neighbor’s Counter-Story Across the street lived the Chens. They’d installed a heat pump the same week. Their unit was only 18 SEER —four points lower than Mark’s. The Martins were sold

Here is the SEER tells you, and the story it hides: Their electric bill dropped 30% compared to the window units

is a measure of cooling output divided by electric input over a typical summer. Higher SEER (16–20+) is great for hot climates like Florida or Texas.

| What High SEER Tells You | What High SEER Hides | | :--- | :--- | | Excellent summer cooling efficiency | Nothing about heating performance | | Lower peak electric demand in July | Could mean a weaker, single-stage compressor that struggles in winter | | Qualifies for some energy rebates (summer-focused) | May have terrible HSPF (heating efficiency) |

The comment section was a graveyard of warnings they ignored. One friend wrote: “Wait til January.” January arrived with a polar vortex. The thermostat read 28°F outside. The heat pump, which worked so beautifully in summer, began to struggle.