Do you have an aging air conditioner in place currently? When we say aging, we mean a system that is a decade old, or older. The average useful service life of a well-maintained air conditioner is about 10-15 years, and once it reaches past this point it will start to work less efficiently, have more frequent repair needs and breakdowns, and ultimately cost you more to run than it’s worth.
Still though, if your air conditioner is working “okay,” you might be tempted to put off thinking about an air conditioning installation in Orinda, CA for at least another year or two. Unfortunately, this may end up being a mistake for you financially. Why? Because of an updated mandate by the U.S. Department of Energy known as the SEER2 update. Read on to learn more about this, and what it means for AC costs and your wallet.
Starting January 1, 2023, the minimum efficiency standards for residential air conditioning systems will be much higher than it is now. SEER stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio, and with this new update, once we have sold out of any stock we have left of our lowest SEER equipment, we’ll only be receiving equipment with the new “M1 SEER 2” rating.
What does this mean for our customers? Most importantly, it means that you can expect a significant increase in air conditioning equipment. In some areas and for some models this increase will be about 15%, but it could even be as high as a 50% increase on some models!
Additionally, we anticipate that the equipment shortages we’ve been seeing will continue, due to continued supply chain issues. This can theoretically lead to further price increases in the market. It’s expected that this may mostly impact heat pump systems and not so much conventional central air conditioners, but it’s still important to be aware of.
We Have Good News!
Increased equipment prices are inevitable. But this doesn’t have to mean that you have to go without comfort. Fortunately, here at Hometown, we provide our customers with financing options. HVAC systems are a huge investment–in fact, they can account for half of your home’s entire energy use. We want to make that investment a little easier on your budget.
The other thing you should know is that while higher efficiency air conditioners are more expensive to purchase upfront and more pricy to install, the more efficient a system is the better it converts energy into cooling power. By utilizing less energy to operate, you will notice savings on your utility bills. And if your air conditioner remains well maintained, you can expect to see these savings for a decade or longer, which can help you save money in the long run.
Whether you’re ready for AC replacement to beat the price increases, want to schedule maintenance to see what kind of state your current air conditioner is in, or need to schedule repairs, we’re the team to call.
Please don’t hesitate to reach out to the team at Hometown Heating and Air Conditioning to learn more about this update, and to schedule your AC replacement! Your comfort is our business.