On average, an air conditioner costs between $0.06 and $0.88 per hour to use. Let's see how much air-conditioning costs every month (assuming it runs for 8 hours per day). The cheapest option is $14.40 per month and $211.20 per month on the high end.
The average cost per kWh in the US is currently $0.11, according to the Energy Information Administration (EIA). This means an AC unit could cost you from $5.17 to $5.94 per day to run. Or about $155-$178 per month you're running it.
Air conditioners primarily use electricity to power the system and operate. The electricity consumption can vary depending on the unit's size, efficiency rating, and usage patterns. When it comes to your AC, your electricity bill is what is affected.
How Much Electricity Does an Air Conditioner Use? Air conditioner usage varies based on the size of your AC. However, generally speaking, a central air conditioner will consume between 3000 and 3500 watts per hour. While window units use between 900 and 1440 watts per hour, portable units consume between 2900 and 4100.
Cooling yourself with a fan vs. an air conditioner is significantly more energy efficient and cheaper. Fans use around 1% of the electricity consumed by air conditioners. You could leave a fan running for 24 hours and still use less energy than 15 minutes of air conditioning.
Electricity usage can vary depending on different factors. On average, a home air conditioner can use about 3,000 watts of electricity an hour. If you have it on all day, that's 72,000 watts of electricity a day! However, running it on the 'fan-only' mode will only consume about 750 watts an hour.
It's enough to give cash-strapped households pause the next time they go to flip on the air conditioner. But would keeping the unit off when you're not home actually reduce your bill? The answer is probably not. In milder climates, turning off the A/C for a few hours a day could save some energy and cash.
Heating and cooling: 45-50%
The largest electricity consumer in the average household is your heating and cooling appliance. By a long shot. Central air conditioners and heaters use tons of energy in order to keep your home set to the right temperature.
Leave Your Air Conditioner On
You might think you're saving money by turning your AC off when you step out of the house. However, a wave of heat and humidity can sneak into your home in the interim. Therefore, leaving your air conditioner on all day in hot temperatures is more energy efficient.
Let us now calculate the AC power consumption using an example. For example, there is a branded 1.5 kW AC that runs 8 hours per day. As a result, the total power consumption of that air conditioner will be 1.5 * 8 * 30 =360 units per month.
There are a few reasons you don't want to run your AC system all the time: System stress: Your air conditioner unit needs time to take a break. If it's running all the time, it can be damaging to the system and lead to the need for a costly replacement. Energy bills: The cost to run your AC 24/7 can be high.
Set the thermostat as high as comfortably possible during hot weather. The less difference between the indoor and outdoor temperatures, the lower your cooling bill will be. Keep your house warmer when you aren't home during the day, but cooler when you come home at night.
An air conditioner's electricity consumption depends on its EER rating. 5 Star ACs are more energy-efficient than 3 Star ACs. The electricity consumption of a 5 Star AC (1.5 tons) is approximately 1.5 units per hour, whereas a 3 Star AC (1.5 tons) consumes 1.6 units every hour.
What costs the most on your electric bill? Heating and cooling are by far the greatest energy users in the home, making up around 40% of your electric bill. Other big users are washers, dryers, ovens, and stoves. Electronic devices like laptops and TVs are usually pretty cheap to run, but of course, it can all add up.
Be More Efficient
You will find that your electric heat, air conditioner and water heater will typically make up the greatest percentage of your electric bill, so these are the areas in which you may want to concentrate your energy management efforts.
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, standby power accounts for as much as 5% to 10% of residential energy use, and homeowners could save $100 to $200 each year on utility bills by unplugging devices that aren't in use.
In Orange County, peak rates can go up to as high as $0.54 per kWh. Taking the example above, with the AC bill of $95.60/month, an increase of rate to $0.54 per kWh could cause your AC bill to go up to $224.64. That's a huge cost difference, so definitely make sure you understand your TOU rates, and plan accordingly.
According to the Department of Energy1, 78° Fahrenheit is the sweet spot for air conditioners to balance energy savings and comfort when people are at home and need cooling.
While running your air conditioner will cool your home, it consumes a lot of energy, leading to higher electricity bills. Yet not using the air conditioner isn't practical.
The average unit has a 500 watt fan, which uses almost as much energy over the course of the year as a refrigerator, resulting in a $50/month bill. During the summer months, the ducts in your attic and close to your walls can fill with warm air, resulting in the fan blowing hot air into your house.
The average refrigerator runs on between 300 and 800 watts of electricity. On average, solar panels are rated at around 350 W, meaning you'll need between one and three panels to power most refrigerators. Remember, refrigerators sometimes use less energy than that.