At 25°F, the air from the vents turned tepid—not cold, but not the toasty blast they expected from their old oil furnace. At 15°F, the unit started running constantly. At 5°F, it simply stopped heating effectively and switched to emergency electric resistance heat.
Don’t be Mark. Don’t chase a high SEER number like a trophy. Match the rating to your climate. A heat pump is a year-round appliance. Judge it by its coldest performance, not its hottest boast.
| 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) | seer ratings for heat pumps
“SEER is the gold standard,” Dave said, tapping the brochure. “That’s 22 Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio. Your old unit was a 14. You’ll save a fortune.”
Their "efficient" system was now glowing red-hot electric coils—the equivalent of running a dozen toasters 24/7. The bill arrived: . Mark nearly choked on his coffee. At 25°F, the air from the vents turned
Here’s the twist the Martins missed: It’s like judging a winter coat by how well it works in a rainstorm.
He called Dave. “You said 22 SEER! This thing is a fraud!” Don’t be Mark
Mark asked Mr. Chen, “But isn’t 18 SEER worse than my 22?”