Energy Efficiency of Wall Air Conditioners

Energy Efficiency of Through The Wall Air Conditioners

A Through The Wall Air Conditioner’s efficiency is measured by the energy efficiency ratio (EER). The EER is the ratio of the cooling capacity (in British thermal units [Btu] per hour) to the power input (in watts). The higher the EER rating, the more efficient the air conditioner. National appliance standards require room air conditioners built after January 1, 1990, to have an energy efficiency ratio (EER) of 8.0 or greater.

The Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers reports that the average EER of room air conditioners rose 47% from 1972 to 1991. If you own a 1970’s-vintage room air conditioner with an EER of 5 and you replace it with a new one with an EER of 10, you will cut your air conditioning energy costs in half.

When buying a new through-the-wall air conditioner, look for units with an EER of 10.0 or above. Check the EnergyGuide label for the unit, and also look for room air conditioners with the ENERGY STAR® label.

Tags: conditioner, Energy Efficiency of Wall Air Conditioners, Room Air Conditioners, Through The Wall Air Conditioners, Wall Air Conditioners

This entry was posted on Friday, July 24th, 2009 at 2:20 pm and is filed under Energy Efficiency of Wall Air Conditioners. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.