It also means higher electric bills.
It happens every year:Summer weather starts, the AC kicks on and yourelectric billshoots up.
As you may know, yourair conditionercan add quite a bit to your home’senergy use.
How much electricity does a typical air conditioner use?
Air conditioning is a significant portion of annual energy use in American homes.
The energy and cost savings of a heat pump are generally more significant with winter heating.
One is to gather some basic information about your home and appliances andcalculate a ballpark number yourself.
To get personalized, instant usage data, he suggests installing ahome energy monitor.
“It uses AI technology to know, say, an AC unit from a curling iron.
Then you might look at the app and know exactly what’s going on with your energy use.”
What affects an air conditioner’s energy use?
When it comes to individual air conditioning units, energy use ranges widely.
The settemperature on your thermostatwill also determine how hard the unit has to work to cool your space.
Look for items rated by the Attachment Energy Rating Council, or AERC.
Another way is to bump up the set point of your thermostat to achieve optimal efficiency.
The recommended temperature at night is 82 and 85 F when you’re away from the house.
Keeping your air conditioner clean and maintained will save you money in the long run.
“You really need to stay on maintenance,” said Goranson.
Then cooling your home is more expensive, because it has to work harder."
Inflation Reduction Acttax incentivescould also help offset the cost.
“If you’ve got a 20-year-old system, it’s probably a single-stage system.
