How Much Does it Cost to Run a Window Air Conditioner Per Month?
How much does it cost to run a window air conditioner per month?
This question could result in the very best “loss leader” product you’ve ever sold! After all, prices are top-of-mind these days, especially for savvy shoppers. In a world of many various brands of A/C’s, all complicated by large numbers of BTU ratings and brands, your average price-conscious, potential client is still looking for some clarity and the very rare, good deal.
The title for this blog post comes directly from Google, which is reporting that many people are searching for information about window air conditioners. As an HVAC company, you are not normally thinking in these terms, but if your market is clamoring for something, you should at least pay attention, don’t you think? Handy link to our article on the four types of whole house a/c systems
Question: What Does a Growing HVAC Company Want With Customers for Window Air?
I grew up in a blue-collar family and lived in a blue-collar neighborhood. A favorite expression of my dad (and many others) was this: “Champagne taste and beer pocketbook.” You know the saying, right? While it might be sweet for any family to have a brand new, whole house, HVAC system installed, it comes at a price many families don’t think they can afford. Truth be told, many cannot. But that same family, which spends a lot of its time together in the “family room”, might really appreciate some relief from the heat in that room.
Answer: The Same Thing a New Car Dealership Wants With a Used Car Department!
A new car dealership can often ‘grow’ its future, new car sales by taking care of those same, future car buyers when they need a car to fit their budget. Grow that reputation for having been the company helping its customers when they—or the economy—was down.
I’ll leave it to you to figure out how you can best do this, and you probably know already, but put together a plan. Use this information to help others…and your business. Now, let’s take a look at those questions being asked, and also some answers. Be ready to share this same info with your prospects.
Ask your AC equipment distributor about the various types of window units he stocks or can get. If your customer has a good experience with a “Smith-Jones Z-9000 window unit he got from you, (with your little company sticker on it!), he just might call you, when he is ready, for the Smith-Jones Blasto 19000 mini-split or central unit. Happens all the time. But now, let’s get back to window units.
“How Much Does It Cost to Run A Window Air Conditioner Per Month?”
Obviously, it depends on several factors, such as the size of the room to be cooled by the window unit, how good the insulation is in the home, the availability of power, the temperature zone where the home is located, the efficiency of the unit and how much the power company is charging per kWh. The answers vary, because it does ‘depend’ on the situation, but at least you are helping your customer to understand and to decide what his options are.
Are There Official Government Recommendations for AC Window Units?
Yes, there are, and it’s often helpful to be able to cite a neutral ‘expert’, so it’s not just your opinion. The EPA’s rule of thumb is 5,000 BTU unit for up to 250 square feet. A 16 x 16 room would be 256 s.f., for instance, which might just be about the size of the typical family room, or master bedroom.
In fact, the EPA gets very specific, when it sets a standard of 20 BTU of cooling output per each square foot. Working the math, 250 s.f. x 20 BTU = 5,000 BTU.
If your customer wants to know the coverage of other (standard) sizes of AC units, then share with them: For an 8,000 BTU unit, divide by 20 (BTUs of cooling per s.f.) and you come up with 400 s.f.
10,000 BTU window units would cover 500 s.f. and a 12,000 BTU unit would cover 600 s.f. If your customer has a 20x20 room, which equals 400 s.f., we know that’s an 8,000 BTU unit for coverage in an average situation.
Is There a Formula for Electricity Cost?
BTUs X .000293 X Cost/kWh
What’s That All Mean? (Easier than You Think!)
One BTU (British thermal unit) = 0.00029308 kWh (kilowatt hours). Conversely, to calculate kWh from BTU, multiply the BTUs of the unit by 0.00029308
Let’s set up a conversion table to help out with the math. Simply look in the first column for the BTU rating of the window air conditioner and you’ll see in the second column the number of kilowatt hours needed to power it for one hour. A quick glance shows us that a 5,000 BTU unit would require 1.465355 (kWh) kilowatt hours to run it for one hour.
|
BTUs of A/C |
Kilowatt Hours |
|
1,000 |
0.000293 |
|
2,000 |
0.000586 |
|
3,000 |
0.000879 |
|
4,000 |
0.001172 |
|
5,000 |
1.465355 |
|
6,000 |
1.758426 |
|
7,000 |
2.051497 |
|
8,000 |
2.344568 |
|
9,000 |
2.637639 |
|
10,000 |
2.930710 |
|
11,000 |
3.223781 |
|
12,000 |
3.516852 |
|
15,000 |
4.396066 |
The final piece is to ask your electric utility what the cost is per kWh. It’s actually listed on their website. It can vary widely, depending upon your utility and part of the country in which you live. Plus, your utility might have special rates, depending on your time of the day you are running it. But to illustrate the point
SDG&E can range from $0.26 to $0.495, all of it depending upon time of day and your family income!
PG&E uses an average cost of $0.21775 as an example, but also has tiers of use.
For sake of argument, we’ll assume an area of 256 s.f. (16 x 16) and a family wants to run the unit for 8 hours per day, 30 days per month, during the summer months. Here’s the math:
San Diego, at lowest tier, $0.26 x 8 hours x 30 days = $62.40 per month
PG&E, at avg tier, $0.21775 x 8 hours x 30 days = $52.26 per month
The Real Lesson Here
A struggling family or a senior household might shy away from a new whole house A/C system, with a purchase price of several thousand dollars, plus the cost of electricity for operating it, which might tack on a couple of hundred more. But your business could offer some real relief with a unit costing only several hundred dollars and only $50 to $100 per month, for a few months. Anyway, that’s how the math works, and now you can help anyone understand the cost differential between window and whole house, and allow them to make the informed decision.
Getting into It
How about a modest advertising campaign where you let folks know about the range of options your company has to help make them comfortable—and affordably so. A neat little post in some local media, such as NextDoor, Craigslist, local HOA newsletters, and you might be surprised.
These are some suggestions…things that can, and should, work for you, and the communities you serve.
Do Your Best to Advise Your Customers of These Licensing Facts for California Contractors
You are licensed by the State of California, carry at least the minimum amount of insurance. Realize that some hvac service providers are not state licensed contractors will also be calling on your customers. Make sure they know the difference. Your customer can check right here. Just enter the name of the ‘contractor’ in question. It’s simple, fast and private and your customer will know immediately if someone is properly licensed. Your customer can look up your company, too! State of CA License Lookup
Your service truck is sharp, has all the proper tools and carries most of the needed parts and supplies you need, so your job gets done today—not in ‘two days’
You are a member of some trade associations. ‘Handyman’ hvac companies aren’t.
You are listed in The HVAC – Heating & Air Conditioning Pros California State Directory The HVAC – Heating & Air Conditioning Pros California State Directory
Regardless of the system you choose, always choose a state of California licensed hvac contractor to properly and safely install your new or replacement system—or even to repair or service your existing system. Check the Pro List at The HVAC – Heating & Air Conditioning Pros California State Directory
https://www.airconditioninghvaccalifornia.com
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