SEER Savings Calculator

Find how much a higher-SEER air conditioner saves each year, and how long the extra cost takes to pay back.

Full-load hours; about 1,000 in mild climates, 2,000+ in hot ones.
$
$
Fractions and decimals both work.
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Saved per Year
Current use
New use
Energy saved
Percent saved
Payback
Over 15 Years

Comparisons

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NameSEERkWh Saved$/YearRemove

How to Calculate SEER Savings

SEER (seasonal energy efficiency ratio) is BTUs of cooling per watt-hour of electricity over a season. Energy use is the yearly cooling divided by SEER, so savings come from the difference of the two reciprocals.

Yearly cooling (BTU) = tons × 12,000 × full-load hours
kWh per year = yearly cooling ÷ SEER ÷ 1,000
Savings = yearly cooling × (1 ÷ old SEER − 1 ÷ new SEER) ÷ 1,000 × $/kWh

Worked Example

SEER and SEER2

Since 2023, U.S. ratings use SEER2, which is tested at higher external static pressure and reads lower than SEER for the same unit (roughly SEER2 ≈ 0.95 × SEER for ducted split systems). Compare like with like: SEER to SEER or SEER2 to SEER2.

Tips

Each step up in SEER saves less than the one before, because savings follow 1 ÷ SEER. Going from 10 to 14 saves more than going from 14 to 20. An oversized or poorly installed system won't reach its rated SEER, so sizing and ductwork matter as much as the label.