When shopping for an AC unit, look for the Energy Star label, which indicates the unit meets or exceeds federal energy efficiency guidelines. Energy Star-certified units can save you up to 15% on your energy bills compared to non-certified units.
In addition to the Energy Star label, you should check the unit’s SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) rating. SEER measures the unit’s cooling output per unit of energy consumed over a typical cooling season. The higher the SEER rating, the more efficient the unit is. Generally, units with a SEER rating of 14 or higher are considered energy-efficient.