How A New AC Unit Can Actually Save You Money
Homeowners who are looking to save a significant amount of money on their energy bills might want to consider purchasing a new air conditioning system. Having an updated unit installed can certainly be the solution to lowering your electricity expense, but there’s the matter of investing that initial cost into the project first.
Simply put, a new unit is not cheap and that might make some of you think twice before plunking down what could end up being around $5,500 for the unit and labor costs performed by a licensed contractor. That’s not small change and coming up with that amount can be tough for many homeowners.
But when you consider how much money you could be throwing away with your current air conditioner cleveland, you might be downright shocked to realize that a new unit at that price might actually be the less expensive option!
Now is the time to think about how effective your air conditioner is at cooling down your home in terms of energy efficiency. Does it take longer to make a room feel comfortable in the summer or is the air conditioner malfunctioning often enough as to warrant a replacement? If the answer is yes to either of these queries, then you may want to contemplate how a new AC unit can actually save you money.
Improved Efficiency
Like most anything else that has been improved over time due to the advances in modern technology, today’s air conditioning units are just designed and built better than those on the market a decade ago. Think about any kind of electrical appliance that you may have in your home, most of these items you can get today offer a lot more in terms of functionality and reliability than what you may have purchased ten to fifteen years back.
While that’s certainly not the case in all instances, it’s definitely true with air conditioners which come with Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) ratings. As standards change so too do the criteria by which these ratings have been given out to consumer AC units. Today’s air conditioners have SEER ratings as high as 25, but as recently as 2003, the SEER rating on a high-end unit was only 18.
If your air conditioner unit was manufactured at the turn of this century, it just isn’t operating with a level of energy efficiency that you can find in a unit purchased today.
The difference is in the length of time it takes your air conditioning system to cool the interior of your home. Older units are going to need to run longer just to get the temperature to a comfortable level when the hot sun is baking everything in sight. When you operate your unit longer, that can raise your energy bills higher than normal. You won’t have to worry about that with a new unit.
Fewer Repairs
Even the most reliable home appliances will start to break down as they age. Air conditioners are no exception and depending upon the type of repair needed to fix your unit, you could be paying hundreds or even thousands of dollars just to get your air conditioning system back up and running again. That’s not taking into account the days or possibly weeks that you’ll be forced to live without a way to cool down your home.
The last thing you want is for your air conditioner to stop functioning in the dead of summer. You also don’t want to be left with a costly repair bill on an air conditioner that isn’t working at the time of year you need it most.
If you have a new AC unit installed, you can keep more money in your pocket by not having to shell out for those expensive air conditioner repairs.
Installing a brand new air conditioning unit can not only help you save money on your energy bills but it can all but eliminate any repair costs that might come along when you least expect. Sounds pretty good, but what does it all mean in dollars and cents?
Do a cost analysis of your current electricity bills and any repairs you may have needed (or might need in the coming months) and compare those to the cost of a unit and installation. You may realize you’re paying more than you hoped and a new unit can actually help you save money.
A newer unit can also provide you with more features and accessories won’t just make your home cooler at a lower cost but make your life easier with all of the options that these air conditioners offer.