Americans have been left shocked after a new air conditioner energy cost calculator revealed the amount of money they are spending on keeping their homes cool.
Perch Energy, a Boston-based software company, has developed an online calculator that can tell an estimate cost of how much it will cost to run an AC unit per hour.
The calculator only requires a user to input the size of the unit — small, medium or large, whether its a central or standalone unit and the number of hours it is being used.
According to US Energy Information Administration, the average cost of electricity in the US is 16 cents per kWh.
According to the calculator, a medium central AC unit with 4,000 watt power that is used for
Chillwell Rating five hours a day can cost about $96 per month. If left on all night, for eight hours, the price rises to $115.20 a month.
Perch Energy, a Boston-based software company has developed an online calculator that can tell an estimate cost of how much it will cost to run an AC unit per hour
According to the calculator, a medium central AC unit with 4000 watt power that is used for five hours a day can cost about $96 per month
On the other hand, a two-ton AC unit with 6,000-watt power also used for only five hours a day can cost about $144 per month
However, if an air conditioner has a higher wattage, it's even more exorbitant. On the other hand, a two-ton AC unit with 6,000-watt power also used for only five hours a day can cost about $144 per month.
But while these costs may seem exorbitant, a 650-watt medium window AC unit used for the same time period only costs $15.60 on an average every month.
The prices also vary based on which state you are in and the cost of energy. But while these costs may seem exorbitant, a 650-watt medium window AC unit used for the same time period only costs $15.60 on an average every month
New Yorkers tend to also spend about $2,760 per year on an average on electricity, which is about 27 percent higher than the national average of $2,179
The average residential electricity rate in New York is 22 cents per kWh, which is 21 percent higher than the national average rate of 18 cents per kWh
According to energysage.com, the average residential electricity rate in New York is 22 cents per kWh, which is 21 percent higher than the national average rate of 18 cents per kWh.
New Yorkers tend to also spend about $2,760 per year on an average on electricity - which is about 27 percent higher than the national average of $2,179.
According to the website, New Yorkers may just end up paying $85,200 on electric bills over the next 25 years at this rate.
To ensure that the AC unit does not unnecessarily burn through energy, Energy Star recommends checking the thermostat temperature; tightening all electrical connections; measuring voltage and current on motors as well as cleaning and changing the air filter in central air conditioners, furnaces, and/or heat pumps.
The US Sun was first to report on the price calculations per month of air conditioning.