Estimate how much you’ll actually save each year by upgrading to a higher SEER2 air conditioner or heat pump — based on your system size, current SEER rating (or install year), local electricity rate, and climate, using the same simplified formula the U.S. Department of Energy uses for its own federal-purchasing energy estimates.
1 ton = 12,000 BTU/hr. A typical home central system is 2–5 tons.
Current federal minimums: 13.4 SEER2 (North), 14.3 SEER2 (Southeast/Southwest). ENERGY STAR starts around 15.2 SEER2.
Defaults to the U.S. average residential rate (EIA, May 2026 data). Replace with your own utility rate for accuracy — rates range from about $0.12 to over $0.50/kWh by state.
Price difference versus a baseline code-minimum system — not the full installation cost. Leave blank to skip the payback estimate.
Estimated annual savings
kWh saved / year
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Energy use cut by
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Simple payback
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What SEER2 rating is realistic to shop for?
Per the U.S. Department of Energy's own federal-purchasing acquisition guidance for residential central air conditioners (energy.gov, updated December 2024), the current baseline federal minimum is 13.4–14.3 SEER2 depending on region, ENERGY STAR-qualified equipment sits around 15.2 SEER2, and the best widely available residential systems reach roughly 23.5 SEER2. Most homeowners land in the 15–18 SEER2 range for a practical balance of upfront cost and efficiency gain — the jump from code-minimum to ENERGY STAR captures a large share of the available savings at a relatively modest cost premium, while chasing the top of the range delivers a smaller marginal gain (see the diminishing-returns math in the guide above) for a much larger price jump.
