Starting on January 1, 2023, all residential air-conditioning and heat pump products are going through a change in how equipment efficiency is measured. This transition to SEER2 is accompanied by efficiency increases for split systems in air-conditioning and heat pumps. Heat pumps are going through a nationwide efficiency increase and split system air-conditioners are going through regional efficiency increases. The image below outlines these changes.
Single Package Air Conditioners - Residential
All new residential single package air conditioners will have a new SEER2 rating, however there is not an efficiency increase, existing inventory can be sold because it meets the continued efficiency standard (14 SEER).
Nationwide (North + South Regions) | Southwest Region |
13/4 SEER2 | 13.4 SEER2 / 10.6 EER2 |
Split System & Packaged Heat Pump Systems - Nationwide Standard for All States
Compliance Deadline: | Date of manufacture |
Inventory Deadline: | Any noncompliant equipment manufactured prior to January 1, 2023 can be sold and installed. |
Split System Heat Pumps (any size) | 14.3 SEER2 and 7.5 HSPF2 |
Single Package Heat Pumps | 13.4 SEER2 and 6.7 HSPF2 (This is not an efficiency increase) |
The change from SEER to SEER2 has made inventory management in the South and Southwest regions more complicated in ensuring existing inventory that is sold is compliant with the new efficiency standards.
Compliance with the 2023 standards is based on the least efficient combination of indoor and outdoor units, commonly referred to as the coil-only rating. This rating is listed on the equipment’s energy guide label. If a range is given, the least efficient rating should be used. See the below explanation for further information.
For split system AC equipment manufactured prior to December 31, 2022, and installed in the South or Southwest Regions after January 1, 2023:
*DOE Guidance from 12/16/21 requires the least efficient SEER rating (coil-only rating) to be used in determining if the equipment meets the efficiency standard, blower-coil combinations cannot be used to meet the minimum efficiency requirement.
If the model is discontinued by the OEM, the least efficient* SEER rating, as listed on the Energy Guide label, must be greater than the following:
<45,000 Btu | ≥45,000 Btu |
15 SEER | 14.5 SEER |
If the Energy Guide label includes a range for the least efficient SEER rating, the lower SEER rating should be used. SEER ratings sourced from Federal Register Vol. 82, No. 4 page 1615.
If the model is continued by the OEM after January 1, 2023, existing inventory can be sold if its least efficient SEER rating meets the above table and the SEER2 rating exceeds 14.3 (<45,000 Btu) or 13.8 (≥45,000 Btu) in the AHRI database.
In the SW region, the equipment must also meet the following EER requirements:
>15 but <16 SEER | >15 but <16 SEER | ≥16 SEER |
<45,000 Btu | ≥45,000 Btu | 10.2 EER |
12.2 EER | 11.7 EER | |
Click the button below to download this information as a one-page handout and reference page (PDF).
Content is provided by Heating Air-conditioning & Refrigeration Distributors International (HARDI, Inc.) HARDI has invited us to share this data and resource.
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