How Much Electricity Does Central Air Use in a Year?

If you’re like many homeowners in Arizona, then you’re probably always on the hunt for ways to lower your monthly bills. Learn how much electricity does central air use and how you can save money by working with an experienced HVAC maintenance company.

Since electricity is one of the largest costs you’ll need to cover each month, you might be curious how much electricity your major systems use each year, including your central air conditioning system. Like many issues related to your central air, there are several factors that can influence how much electricity your AC system uses.

Think About Your Unit

If you’re wondering how much electricity your central air conditioning system uses in a year, the best place to start is with your unit. Older HVAC units will have a much lower level of efficiency, meaning they will need to work harder to effectively cool your home and will use a great deal of electricity in a year.

On the other hand, almost all newer HVAC units are Energy Star certified, which means they have been certified by the government to reduce your energy usage without sacrificing performance. Find out if your AC unit is Energy Star rated to see whether it is saving or costing you electricity.

SEER Ratings

Another issue that can impact how much electricity your air conditioning unit uses is its Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) rating. The SEER rating of an air conditioning unit is calculated by dividing the typical cooling output of an air conditioning unit by the amount of energy required to achieve this output. The higher the SEER rating of an HVAC unit, the less electricity it will need to function properly.

Examine your air conditioner and look for its SEER rating. If the rating is 16 or higher, you have an efficient unit.

How Many Units?

If you have a larger home, it’s possible that you will need multiple HVAC units in order to cool your home effectively. However, as you might expect, the more units you have, the more electricity you will use. Having two HVAC units running at the same time can draw a tremendous amount of electricity in a year, increasing your energy bills to a large degree.

If your energy bills are much higher than you would like, think about your options for switching from multiple HVAC units to a single unit that is able to cool your home.

Time of Day

An issue that catches many homeowners unaware is the fact that the time of day you run your air conditioner can be a contributing factor to how much electricity your central air conditioning system uses. During the daylight hours, when the temperature is at its highest, your air conditioner will work much harder to keep your home at the desired temperature. This will cause it to use much more electricity.

If you’re not in your house during the day, turn your temperature up a little bit to save on your energy costs, but don’t forget that your pets need to stay cool as well.

If you need advice on lowering the amount of electricity your central air conditioning system uses, you should consider scheduling a local HVAC repair in Phoenix. Your repair technician can tell you how much electricity your unit is using and can give you tips on saving energy.

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