Upgrade now to a new high efficiency system and possibly reduce your energy costs by 30-40% per year. The most efficient systems on the market are up to 70% more efficient than the current average. You could dramatically reduce or even eliminate the utility increases while improving your comfort level.

This can save you hundreds of dollars on the price of your new system. Remember, the savings will continue for years to come, since a high-efficiency system means lower electric bills month after month. So while a high-efficiency cooling and heating system may cost a little more up front compared to a less efficient system, you'll recover the price difference in a very short time.

Table1

Possible Savings on Cooling Costs When Replacing Existing Inefficient system
 

	Existing SEER
		7.0	7.5	8.0	8.5	9.0	9.5	10.0	10.5	11.0	11.5	12.0	12.5	13.0	13.5	14.0	14.5	15.0	15.5
	16.0	$729	$643	$567	$500	$441	$388	$340	$297	$258	$222	$189	$159	$131	$105	$81	$59	$38	$18
	15.5	$711	$624	$549	$482	$423	$370	$322	$279	$239	$204	$171	$140	$113	$87	$63	$40	$20	$0
	15.0	$691	$605	$529	$462	$403	$350	$302	$259	$220	$184	$151	$121	$93	$67	$43	$21	$0
	14.5	$670	$584	$508	$442	$382	$329	$282	$238	$199	$163	$130	$100	$72	$46	$22	$0
	14.0	$648	$562	$486	$419	$360	$307	$259	$216	$177	$141	$108	$78	$50	$24	$0
	13.5	$624	$538	$462	$395	$336	$283	$235	$192	$153	$117	$84	$54	$26	$0
	13.0	$598	$512	$436	$369	$310	$257	$209	$166	$127	$91	$58	$28	$0
	12.5	$570	$484	$408	$342	$282	$229	$181	$138	$99	$63	$30	$0
	12.0	$540	$454	$378	$311	$252	$199	$151	$108	$69	$33	$0
	11.5	$507	$421	$345	$278	$219	$166	$118	$75	$36	$0
	11.0	$471	$385	$309	$243	$183	$130	$82	$39	$0
	10.5	$432	$346	$270	$203	$144	$91	$43	$0
	10.0	$389	$302	$227	$160	$101	$48	$0

* Based on 36,000 BTUH air conditioner. (3 TON AC) --1 TON equals 12,000 btus

This chart is calculated for a 36,000 BTUH (3-ton) system with a cost of KWH of 8 cents. If your system or cost per KWH is larger or smaller, you can still get an idea of just how significant your savings can be.

To determine how much you'll save each year, find the point where your present system's Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio, or SEER (top of table) meets the SEER of the new system you are considering (left side of table).

(Equipment installed before 1980 generally has a SEER rating of 7 to 8. SEER ratings also decrease over the life of a unit. To get the exact energy-efficiency rating of your existing unit, you may wish to contact an air conditioning contractor with the model numbers of your indoor and outdoor equipment, or look at the energy-efficient label on equipment installed after 1988.) For example, if your existing system's SEER is 7, and you replace it with a system that has a SEER of 11.5, you'll save $507 a year on your electric bill.