Air Temperature Control Systems, Inc.
New AC Units Are More Efficient and Can Save You Money
How Much Can a New AC Save on My Power Bill?
A new air conditioner can work better and lower your cooling bills by up to 20%. How does this work? Most old air conditioners use a lot more energy than the new ones we have today. This means your old AC needs more electricity to keep your house cool, and you see this in your higher power bills every month. If you wonder if a new air conditioner could lower your energy bills, the answer is probably “yes.”
New AC Units Save Energy and Money
Air conditioners today are much better and brighter than the old ones. They are built to cool your home while using less electricity. ENERGY STAR, says that if you switch to a high-efficiency air conditioner, you could pay up to 20% less to cool your home, especially if your current AC is more than 10 years old and the new one is set up correctly. Depending on your house and how much you use it, you could save hundreds of dollars annually, instilling a sense of optimism about the potential for significant savings!
Why Are New Air Conditioners Better at Saving Energy?
A big reason is something called the SEER rating, which stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio. This number tells you how good an air conditioner is at turning electricity into cool air. The bigger the SEER number, the better the AC is at saving energy.
Starting in 2023, the lowest SEER2 rating for new air conditioners is:
- 13.4 SEER2 in northern states
- 14.3 SEER2 in the Southeast and Southwest for smaller units
- 13.8 SEER2 for bigger units in the Southeast and Southwest
Some of the newest air conditioners are even better, with SEER2 ratings as high as 18 or more!
If your old AC was put in before 2010, it might have a SEER rating of only 8 or 10. That means it uses a lot more energy to cool your house. Even the least efficient air conditioners you can buy today are much better than the old ones.
Are There Rebates for Getting a New AC?
Yes! You might worry about the higher price if you want to upgrade to a new, energy-saving air conditioner. But you can often get some money back, called rebates, or save on taxes when you buy a better AC. Rebates and tax credits can come from:
- The federal government (like laws from the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022)
- Your state or local utility company
- Air conditioner brands or makers
With the Inflation Reduction Act, you can get a federal tax credit if you buy a high-efficiency AC with the ENERGY STAR label. Sometimes you can even get extra discounts from your power company.
To qualify for these savings, you usually need to:
- Get a central air conditioner with a high SEER2 and EER2 rating (ask your installer about the exact numbers)
- Pick a unit that is ENERGY STAR-certified
- Have a licensed HVAC pro install your AC
Always ask the person putting in your AC if there are rebates you can get. Many installers are well-informed about these and can help you apply. This means that you’re not alone in this process and there are resources available to help you save money on your new AC.
Signs It's Time for a New Air Conditioner
It may be time to get a new AC. Here are some clues:
- Your Energy Bills Keep Going Up If your summer bills are higher every year, your air conditioner may be using more and more energy.
- Your AC Is Over 10-15 Years Old Most air conditioners last around 12–15 years. If yours is older, it might be time for a new one.
- You Need Repairs Over and Over If you had to fix your AC more than once this year or the repair is expensive, buying a new one might be smarter. Here’s a tip: If the repair cost times the age of your AC is more than $5,000, it’s better to replace it because at that point, you’re likely to spend more on repairs than the cost of a new unit. Your House Isn’t Cooling Evenly or Feels Humid Old air conditioners can have trouble keeping the whole House cool or removing humidity.
- Your AC Uses R-22 Refrigerant If your air conditioner uses R-22 (also called Freon), it’s outdated. It costs a lot to fix because this refrigerant is no longer made in the U.S.
Getting a new AC can help you save money, keep your house comfortable, and even help you get some money back!
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