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SEER Savings Calculator

Work out seer savings instantly with clear inputs, formula shown and shareable results.

About SEER Savings Calculator

Seasonal energy consumption is capacity times run hours divided by SEER, with the result in watt-hours. Because the relationship is reciprocal, the early SEER steps deliver most of the saving: moving from 10 to 14 saves far more than moving from 18 to 22.

Formulas

Seasonal energy

kWh = BTU/h x run hours / (SEER x 1000)

Saving

kWh saved = capacity x hours x (1/SEER old - 1/SEER new) / 1000

Worked example

With the default values below, SEER Savings Calculator returns Annual electricity saved of 1,920. Change any input above and every figure here is recalculated in your browser.

Inputs used

Cooling capacityminimum 1 BTU/h
36,000 BTU/h
Existing SEERminimum 1
10
Replacement SEERminimum 1
18
Annual cooling run hoursminimum 1 h
1,200 h

Results

Annual electricity saved
1,920 kWh
Existing unit consumption
4,320 kWh
New unit consumption
2,400 kWh
Reduction in cooling energy
44.4% %

Step by step

  1. 1Values used
  2. 2Seasonal energy
  3. 3Saving
  4. 4Annual electricity saved= 1,920 kWh
  5. 5Existing unit consumption= 4,320 kWh
  6. 6New unit consumption= 2,400 kWh
  7. 7Reduction in cooling energy= 44.4 %

Assumptions and limits

  • The result is derived only from the 4 inputs listed above. Anything not among them is not part of the calculation.
  • In particular, this calculator does not take inflation, tax or fees or charges into account.
  • Figures are rounded for display to 1 decimal place, so totals built from several rounded parts can differ slightly from the unrounded arithmetic.

How these calculators are built and tested is described on the Methodology page. If a figure looks wrong, please report it.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is the SEER Savings figure worked out?

kWh = BTU/h x run hours / (SEER x 1000). Seasonal energy consumption is capacity times run hours divided by SEER, with the result in watt-hours.

Why do savings taper at high SEER?

Energy is inversely proportional to SEER. Each extra point removes a smaller slice of what remains, so the payback on the top efficiency tier is usually the weakest.

What values do I need to enter?

This calculator takes 4 inputs: Cooling capacity, Existing SEER, Replacement SEER, Annual cooling run hours. The pre-filled defaults are a realistic worked example — replace them with your own site or project figures.

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