Does Central Air Conditioning Use More Electricity?
How to estimate your A/C’s electricity usage
It goes without saying that a central air conditioning system is a key component to keeping certain homeowners here in southeastern Massachusetts cool and comfortable throughout the summer season. As temperatures increase here in the area you may be concerned about how your air conditioner is going to impact your electricity use and, therefore, your energy bills.
While going an entire summer without turning on your central air conditioning system is probably not the answer to conserving energy and saving on cooling costs, you may find it helpful to know how much electricity your air conditioner actually uses. This way you can at least know what to expect and plan accordingly throughout the year.
How much electricity does my central air conditioner use?
To determine how much electricity your central air conditioning system uses, you first need to figure out how many kilowatt hours (kWh) your central air conditioning system consumes.
Multiple factors impact a homeowner’s kilowatt usage and electric consumption, including:
- How many hours a day an air conditioner is on
- Thermostat settings
- How well insulated a home is
- How warm it is outside
- The capacity of an air conditioner (this will be rated in either British Thermal Units or tons)
- An air conditioner’s efficiency rating, otherwise known as a SEER (seasonal energy efficiency ratio) rating
While these factors will obviously differ from household to household you can get a general idea of how many kWh of electricity a central air conditioning system will use.
A 2,000 square foot home will generally need either a 3-ton or 36,000 BTU central air conditioning system. Systems of this size and capacity typically use between about 1.5 and 2.8 kWh of energy per hour. Therefore, if you have this air conditioner running for a full eight-hour day you can estimate using between about 360 and 650 kWh of energy every month.
How central air conditioning compares to other types of air conditioners when it comes to electricity
Central air conditioners do require and use more electricity than window air conditioners do. While that may make a difference in your utility bills, a central air conditioner can still be cost-effective and beneficial.
The central air conditioning systems that are on the market today are more efficient than older models. In fact, newer systems can have SEER ratings that are as high as 26. This ultimately helps control costs and conserves resources.
Additionally, central air conditioners usually integrate easily with your current home heating system. This often helps a homeowner save money on the installation process.
Upgrade your A/C with W.H. Riley & Son
Homeowners who are looking to add air conditioning to their home here in southeastern Massachusetts or upgrade to a new system can count on the trained and certified technicians here at W.H. Riley & Son for the help and guidance they need. We can help you select the air conditioning system that will work best for you and your home and then handle installation.
W.H. Riley & Son’s service technicians are also available for air conditioning maintenance and repairs.
Contact W.H. Riley & Son today and let us know how we can help with all your air conditioning needs.