High-Efficiency AC Replacement in DeSoto, TX

Short answer: Every new split-system AC installed in Texas has to meet a minimum SEER2 rating. If you want to go above that minimum, call us and we will walk you through your options before any work starts.

Is this the right page for you?

This page is for DeSoto homeowners who are replacing an AC and want to know about higher efficiency. It may fit you if:

• Your AC runs a lot during the long North Texas summer.
• You are replacing an older system and want to understand the new ratings.
• You were told about SEER2 and are not sure what to ask.

If you want the plain-words version first, read SEER2 in Texas, explained.

What SEER2 means

SEER2 rates how much cooling a unit gives for the electricity it uses over a typical cooling season. The higher the SEER2, the more efficient the system.

SEER2 replaced the old SEER rating in 2023, along with updated federal standards. It uses updated test methods that account for things like airflow resistance in the ducts, so it reflects real-world use more closely.

A SEER2 number and an old SEER number are not the same. Compare SEER2 with SEER2.

The Texas minimum

Texas is in the DOE Southeast region. A new split-system AC under 45,000 BTU/h must meet at least 14.3 SEER2 if it is installed on or after January 1, 2023. At 45,000 BTU/h or more, the minimum is 13.8 SEER2. The rule follows the installation date, and there are no exemptions.

What goes with a higher rating

The match. The rating belongs to the matched outdoor and indoor pair, not to the outdoor unit alone. Ask any company for the AHRI certificate for the combination.

The motor. Systems come with single-stage or variable-speed motors. This is one of the things that changes what a replacement involves.

How much you run your AC. In milder climates, a high-SEER2 unit may not save enough energy to justify a higher up-front cost. North Texas summers are long, so the AC runs many hours, and the more hours it runs, the more a higher rating can matter. We make no promise about savings.

Your home. The size of your home and the system, and any duct changes, shape what a replacement involves. We cover the factors in what affects an AC replacement.

What the job involves

1. Call us and tell us about your system. Tell us what you have and what you are looking for.
2. We confirm the details and book a time.
3. We look at your system. We check the outdoor unit, the indoor coil and the furnace or air handler.
4. We walk you through your options before any work starts. You decide before we begin.
5. We remove the old equipment and set the new system.
6. We test the system before we leave.

What to know first

Old system, new rating. If you are replacing the outdoor unit only, check that it matches your indoor coil. See AC condenser replacement. If both your AC and furnace are old, see AC and furnace replacement.

Refrigerant. New residential AC equipment can no longer ship with R-410A. Most makers now use R-454B.

Ask about the license. Texas licenses air conditioning contractors through TDLR, the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. Ask any company you talk to for its TDLR license number.

Questions

Ready to talk about a higher-efficiency AC?

Call us, tell us what you have now, and we will walk you through your options.