Energy Savings Comparison
Side-by-side comparison of current vs proposed system. Visual chart for sales presentations.
Your Current System
Enter your existing equipment specs
Don't know? Use 10 for 15+ year old systems
Don't know? Use 80% for older furnaces
Proposed New System
Enter the equipment you're quoting
Annual Cost Comparison
Current System
New System
Annual Cost Comparison
Your Savings
Estimates based on average usage patterns. Actual savings depend on equipment condition, duct efficiency, thermostat settings, and local weather. Consult with a licensed HVAC contractor for a detailed energy audit.
Download a branded PDF of these results
Create a free account to download a professional PDF with your company logo and license number — ready to share with a customer.
Download a branded PDF
Email these results to yourself
Get a copy you can reference on the job site or attach to a quote.
Results sent! Check your inbox.
Want to save all your calculations?
How to Use This Tool
1. Enter the current system specs. Check the nameplate on the outdoor condenser for SEER and the furnace data plate for AFUE. If the customer doesn't know, use 10 SEER and 80% AFUE as safe defaults for systems over 15 years old.
2. Enter the proposed system specs. Use the SEER and AFUE ratings from the equipment you're quoting. A 16 SEER / 96% AFUE combination is a common mid-tier upgrade that shows strong savings.
3. Set the shared parameters. Select the system size in tons, enter the customer's electricity and gas rates from their utility bill, choose their region to auto-fill typical cooling and heating hours, and enter your quoted upgrade cost.
4. Review the side-by-side comparison. Show the customer the annual cost difference, payback period, and 10-year net savings. The visual bar chart makes the savings immediately obvious during a sales presentation.
Understanding SEER and AFUE Ratings
SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) measures cooling efficiency. It's the total BTU of heat removed per watt-hour of electricity consumed over a typical cooling season. A 10 SEER system uses 60% more electricity than a 16 SEER system to deliver the same cooling. The federal minimum is now 14 SEER in northern states and 15 SEER in the South. Higher SEER means lower electric bills every summer.
AFUE (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency) measures how efficiently a gas furnace converts fuel to heat. An 80% AFUE furnace loses 20 cents of every dollar as exhaust waste. A 96% AFUE furnace captures nearly all of that energy, reducing gas consumption by 20% compared to the older unit. Standard-efficiency furnaces run at 80% AFUE, while high-efficiency condensing furnaces reach 95-98%.
Why higher is better: Both ratings work like miles per gallon for your HVAC system. Higher numbers mean more output per unit of energy consumed. The difference compounds every month the system runs. In a hot climate, the SEER upgrade drives most of the savings. In a cold climate, the AFUE improvement often matters more. This tool models both sides so you can show the customer exactly where their money goes.
Cooling: kWh = (Tons x 12,000 x Cooling_Hours) / (SEER x 1,000)
Heating: Therms = (Tons x 12,000 x Heating_Hours) / (AFUE/100 x 100,000)
When To Use This
Sales presentations at the kitchen table. Pull this up on your tablet while sitting with the homeowner. Enter their current system specs on the left, your proposed equipment on the right, and let the visual comparison make the case. The side-by-side layout and bar chart are designed to be shown to customers, not just used behind the scenes.
Proposal support for premium equipment. When you're quoting a 16 SEER system against a competitor's 14 SEER bid, this tool proves the long-term value. Show the customer that paying more upfront saves thousands over 10 years. Screenshot the results and attach them to your written proposal for added credibility.
Customer education on repair vs. replace. When a customer asks whether to repair their 18-year-old system or replace it, run the comparison. If the annual savings alone cover a significant portion of the repair cost, replacement makes financial sense even before factoring in reliability improvements and reduced breakdown risk.