Understand which HVAC ratings describe fuel heating, cooling and heat pump heating, and why the numbers are not directly interchangeable.
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Updated 2026-09-18 · CANRO Heating & Cooling
Quick answer: AFUE, SEER and HSPF describe different aspects of HVAC efficiency. Do not rank a furnace and a heat pump by choosing whichever has the largest printed number. First identify what the rating measures, its test basis and the equipment combination to which it applies.
For a purchase decision, ratings are one input alongside sizing, installation, controls and the home's heating and cooling needs.
AFUE describes annual fuel utilization efficiency for relevant fuel-burning heating equipment and is expressed as a percentage. SEER describes seasonal cooling efficiency. HSPF describes seasonal heat pump heating performance. These are different metrics with different units or conventions.
Natural Resources Canada's heat pump guidance explains seasonal heating and cooling ratings. Ask your contractor to identify the exact metric on each proposal rather than abbreviating every efficiency claim to a single number.
You may see SEER2 and HSPF2 as well as older SEER and HSPF figures. Do not assume the older and newer test metrics can be compared as identical numbers. Ask for like-for-like data for the proposed equipment and the applicable rating conditions.
For a split system, confirm which indoor and outdoor combination the quoted performance describes. A product family's “up to” figure may not be the rating of the combination being offered for your home.
A rating does not establish whether equipment can meet the home's heating or cooling demand. Ask for the sizing basis and the relevant performance information at the conditions used in the design.
For heat pumps, also ask how any backup heat is intended to operate. A seasonal rating alone does not explain the selected control strategy or the output available on a particular cold day.
A higher efficiency rating does not translate directly into an identical percentage reduction in your total utility bill. Weather, fuel prices, thermostat use, installation and non-HVAC consumption all affect the comparison.
Ask any savings estimate to show its assumptions: baseline equipment, energy use, rates, weather basis and proposed operation. Treat a calculation as a scenario with stated inputs, not a guarantee about your next bill.
If a contractor cannot provide comparable figures, ask for clarification before selecting on efficiency alone. Keep the performance documentation with the accepted quote. It allows you to understand what was promised without confusing a laboratory rating, a design calculation and measured household energy consumption.
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