Air Conditioning Energy Savings Calculator
See how much you could save by upgrading to a higher efficiency air conditioner.
Adjust daily hours your A/C runs each season — we'll total them automatically.
Select total hours your A/C runs per year. Southern California average: ~1,300 hours.
Estimates use: (Tonnage × 12,000 BTU ÷ SEER) × hours ÷ 1,000 × rate. Actual savings vary based on insulation, thermostat settings, ductwork, and your utility’s tiered rate schedule. Not a guarantee of future savings. © Eco Air Heating & Cooling · Riverside County, CA. | Do not steal code policy coming soon.
FAQ's On A/C Energy Saving
Find frequently asked questions and answers about the a/c energy savings.
If you don’t see your question answered below, feel free to call us at (951) 446-5968.
About the Air Conditioning Energy Savings Calculator
Is this A/C energy savings calculator accurate?
The air conditioning energy savings calculator gives a reliable estimate based on standard engineering formulas used in the HVAC industry. However, actual savings truly depends on your home’s insulation, thermostat habits, duct condition, and your utility’s exact rate tier. Use it as a planning guide, not a guarantee. An HVAC technician should be able to confirm numbers after inspection for a replacement or installation of a new a/c system.
Why does my electricity cost look higher than my actual bill?
The calculator measures cooling costs only. Your actual bill includes lighting, appliances, water heating, and other loads. Your A/C is typically 40–50% of a Southern California home’s total electricity bill in summer and even then this can be even greater for very hot areas such as in the Inland Empire and cities around Palm Springs where houses often have two condensers because of the high heat and or home size.
Note that the air conditioning energy savings calculator does not take into account the rates of your electricity provider as well, but it does allow you to change your rate, which can vary. You can find your rate often on your bill or by contacting your electric company.
What else about A/C impacts my energy consumption?
Several things affect your power consumption whether it is a new air conditioning system or old. One of the most common is during installation. A/C installs can actually impact your energy performance. If technicians don’t perform proper inspections which include finding attic leaks, insulation, checking, correcting or replacing duct work, acknowledging how many windows there are allowing heat inside, identifying things like air leaks around outlets and switches, plumbing, and uncontrolled outside air that enter the home. These are just a few of many things that actually impact your energy bill, and that is why the air conditioning energy savings calculator cannot be accurate but is a good tool to understand basics.
About SEER and SEER2
What is SEER and SEER2?
SEER stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio. It was the standard efficiency rating for air conditioners in the US for decades. It was introduced in 1992 and last updated in 2006.
The formula works likes this: total cooling output over a season divided by total electricity consumed. A higher number means more cooling per dollar of electricity. So in example, a 16 SEER unit is roughly 60% more efficient than a 10 SEER unit of the same size.
SEER2 is the updated version that took effect January 1, 2023. The U.S. Department of Energy overhauled the testing standard because the old SEER test didn’t accurately reflect real-world conditions. The main change was increasing the external static pressure in the test — essentially simulating actual duct resistance in a real home rather than ideal lab conditions.
The result is that SEER2 ratings come out slightly lower than SEER for the same equipment. The quick conversion is SEER2 ≈ SEER × 0.95. So a unit that was rated 20 SEER under the old standard is approximately 19 SEER2.
So what does it mean?
Any new air conditioner sold today will have a SEER2 rating on its EnergyGuide label. It’s that yellow sticker you can see on the unit. Older units have their original SEER rating. When comparing your old system to a new one, you need to account for that difference, which is exactly why the air conditioning energy savings calculator labels them separately rather than using the same scale for both.
New minimum standards as of 2023
– Southwest region which includes California, requires units to be 15 SEER2 for central A/C.
– Previously, it was only 14 SEER under old standard.
So if someone in Riverside County, San Diego County, San Bernardino County, Los Angeles County, or Orange County is replacing an old 10 SEER system with the minimum allowed new unit today, they will be getting a meaningful efficiency jump just from the baseline requirement alone.
Note the air conditioning energy savings calculator does provide ability to set SEER and SEER2 to give you an idea of savings.
Is a higher SEER always worth it?
Generally yes for Southern California because the cooling season is long. The more hours you run your A/C, the faster a high-SEER unit pays for itself compared to milder climates.
My new unit says SEER2 but my old one says SEER. Can I compare them directly?
Not exactly. You’ll need to multiply the old SEER by 0.95 to get the rough SEER2 equivalent before comparing. This is the only way to get actually numbers.
About Savings
Why do my savings percentage stay the same across 1, 5, 10, and 15 years?
The percentage across 1,5,10, and 15 years in the air conditioning energy savings calculator stays the same because the percentage reflects efficiency improvement, which is constant. The dollar amount grows because savings accumulate over time.
Does the air conditioning energy savings calculator account for electricity rate increase over time?
No, the air conditioning energy savings calculator uses a fixed rate. Real 15-year savings will likely be even higher since Southern California electricity rates have always historically trended upward.
We may make additional modifications to the a/c energy savings calculator in the future that could show other data. Stay tuned.
About Upgrading
What SEER2 rating should I buy?
This answer is more of an educated opinion and it could vary depending on what part of So Cal you are in. Example the weather is different along the coast compared to inland. However, for Inland Empire homeowners, 16–18 SEER2 hits the sweet spot of upfront cost versus long-term savings. Going above 20 SEER2 makes more sense if you run your A/C heavily or plan to stay in the home long-term.
Does the federal tax credit apply to my new A/C?
Possibly. The Inflation Reduction Act offers up to $600 for qualifying central A/C units and up to $2,000 for qualifying heat pumps. Your system must meet specific efficiency thresholds — ask our installers for the ENERGY STAR certification details.
