| What should an estimate from a contractor include? |
| *A proposal for a high-efficiency heat pump or air conditioner (14 SEER or greater) complete with a payback analysis |
| *Savings analysis including potential utility rebates and tax credits |
| *A Heating and Cooling Load Analysis to determine the appropriate size unit for your home |
| *An examination of the ductwork and duct insulation and the cost to repair any problems |
| *An analysis to ensure that your system has the proper amount of refrigerant and airflow |
| *A list of references regarding the contractor's qualifications and training on equipment selection, sizing, installation and ductwork repair |
| How much does it cost to heat and cool your home each year? |
| There are several different ways to heat and cool your home. The most common heating and cooling systems are heat pump and air conditioner/ furnace systems. A heat pump is a single unit which uses electricity to both heat and cool your home. An air conditioner only cools your home, requiring you to have another system for heating, such as a gas furnace or electric resistance heating. In the Phoenix area, hot summers and mild winters dominate the weather.If you're like most customers, the largest portion of your annual electric bill is spent on cooling your home. Air conditioning systems are sized to cool your home during the hottest days. An appropriately sized and installed unit will also operate efficiently throughout the year. The chart below shows that extreme temperatures over 105 degrees F occur in the Phoenix area less than 2% of the time. |
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Source: "Bin Degree Hour Weather Data for Simplified Energy Calculations," American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers, Inc. |
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| Approximately 50% of the average annual electric bill in the Phoenix metro area is spent on energy to run your heating and cooling equipment. For a typical Phoenix area home, the cost of heating and cooling is about $800 to $1,100 per year depending on the type of system you have and your lifestyle. |
| Should you repair or replace your current unit? |
| More than 100,000 homes in Arizona's desert climate have older heat pumps and air conditioners, averaging 11 to 15 years in age. That's the age when cooling units begin to break down. When faced with a major repair of an older unit, you may want to replace it rather than repair it. |
| residential energy use in the Phoenix area |
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Source: Calculated energy costs based on energy analysis criteria published by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning, Engineers, Inc |
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| Can you trust your current system to continue to perform several months from now? In the short run, it may seem less expensive to repair your old air conditioner rather than buy a new one, but it may cost you more in the long run.A properly installed high-efficiency heat pump or air conditioner will save you money on your electric bill each month, and the repair and maintenance costs on a new system will be less. Ask your contractor to give you a written estimate of the installation costs as well as the energy savings of a new unit. You may also qualify for utility rebates and/or tax credits. If you're like most consumers, you'll replace the older unit in the summer when your heat pump or air conditioner is working its hardest to keep you cool. The purchase can be complex and expensive. Use the guidelines included in this consumer guide to help you get the right system for you. |
| Why is the efficiency of your system important? |
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Before you replace your air conditioner or heat pump, you should consider these facts about why the efficiency of your air conditioning system is so important:
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1. You'll save money
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The most efficient new electric heat pumps and air conditioners are up to 40% more efficient than units installed 15 years ago. Replacing yours will result in immediate savings on your energy bill.
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2. You'll save energy
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An APS study shows that using cost-effective energy efficient measures could save as much as 60% on the energy used to cool your home.
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| 3. You'll help protect the environment |
| Because today's heat pumps and air conditioners use less electricity, they help protect the environment and save valuable energy resources. Making wise use of energy, no matter what your needs, will save you money and help protect the environment. |
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Twelve ways to save on your energy bill
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| If you are like most consumers, you pay more for heating and cooling than for lights, hot water or to operate any other single appliance in your home. In Arizona's desert regions, cooling alone can account for up to 40% of your annual electric bill. You can reduce your monthly bills by taking steps to reduce the amount of energy needed to heat and cool your home. Here are 12 simple ways you can save: |
| 1. Install a high-efficiency heat pump or air conditioner |
| The energy-efficiency of heat pumps and air conditioners is commonly stated as the Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) and Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER), which refers to the efficiency of the unit during the cooling season. The higher the rating, the more energy-efficient the unit and the lower its operating costs will be. A 13 SEER unit is the minimum standard set by the federal government for new equipment manufactured after January 2006. Super efficient models are now available with SEER ratings of 18 or higher. In Arizona's desert climate, APS recommends that you consider a high efficiency unit with a SEER rating of 14 or greater. A properly installed 14 SEER heat pump or air conditioner is more efficient than a unit that meets the minimum federal energy standards, and it will cost less to operate. A 14 SEER may cost a little more than a 13 SEER, but you'll make up the difference in lower energy costs. The savings will pay back the higher cost of the unit in a few short years. Ask your contractor to give you a cost estimate and payback analysis for having a unit installed with a SEER rating of 14 or higher. The amount of savings depends on the age and efficiency of your existing system and the efficiency of the new unit. The actual operating SEER rating of your older unit is dependent on its age and condition. Use the following chart to estimate the SEER of your old unit (or ask your contractor), and use the worksheet to estimate the savings and payback from installing a high-efficiency unit. |
| 2. Have your system professionally maintained |
| Some of the simplest things you can do to keep your system operating as efficiently as possible involve routine maintenance. Here are a few simple things you can do: |
| * Have your system professionally maintained regularly, such as every six months or before the summer and winter seasons. |
| *Replace disposable air filters once a month. If you have a reusable filter, check and clean it once a month. |
| *Keep trees and shrubs trimmed away from ground-mounted units. To have your system professionally maintained, you should contact a qualified air conditioning contractor. Many contractors provide maintenance agreements, which can be cost-effective in obtaining timely maintenance. The Arizona Heat Pump Council has a 16-point checklist of minimum recommended maintenance practices for heat pumps and air conditioners. Call the APS Energy Answer Line for a copy of the checklist. Ask your contractor to make sure they complete all of the items as part of their routine maintenance of your system. |
| 3. Get the right size unit for your home |
| With heating and cooling systems, bigger is not necessarily better. Recent studies have shown that over 50% of home air conditioners are substantially oversized -- often 60% to 80% larger than they need to be. Air conditioners and heat pumps are inefficient when they first start up, taking up to 10 minutes to reach their rated efficiency. An oversized unit will turn on and off more frequently, thereby operating much less efficiently. This causes more wear and tear on the equipment, and ultimately costs you more money to own and operate. If you're replacing an existing unit, it's best not to assume that the existing one is the right size. Ask your contractor to conduct a Heating and Cooling Load Analysis to determine the proper size unit for your home. The analysis will consider the size and construction features of your home to determine the appropriate size unit. Remember, don't insist on a bigger unit, thinking that more tons will give you better cooling. |
| 4. Make sure your unit has the right refrigerant charge and air flow |
| A qualified professional contractor can conduct a technical analysis of your air conditioning system to ensure that you have the proper amount of refrigerant in your system and that the airflow meets the manufacturer's recommendations. Improper airflow is often the result of too much resistance to airflow in your ductwork. Your contractor can conduct various tests to determine whether or not you have adequate airflow and distribution of air to the different rooms in your home. Too little refrigerant will cause the system to work harder to cool your home and cost more to operate, and too much refrigerant may increase the wear and tear on your unit, shortening its life. Proper airflow and adequate refrigerant charge will improve the efficiency of your system and the comfort in your home. Air conditioning systems with proper airflow and refrigerant charge can save up to 30% compared to systems which are not installed and operated properly. |
| 5. Reduce duct leaks |
| Leaks in air ducts can also rob an air conditioning system of its efficiency and comfort capacity. While you can’t see duct leaks, your contractor can detect them by conducting an analysis of your system. An APS study found that duct system leakage can be as high as 34% of the airflow rate of the system -- over 1/3 of its cooling capacity! A properly installed system should have a leakage rate of only about 3% to 5% of system airflow. Duct leakage can be most severe in ducts installed in attics. When it's 110 degrees F outside, the attic can reach temperatures as high as 160 degrees F. This hot air can be drawn directly into the air conditioning system through the duct work. By reducing duct leakage, you may be able to save up to 14% on the cooling portion of your energy bill compared to a typical home. |
| 6. Insulate your ductwork |
| Because ducts are often placed in attics which can get very hot in the summer, duct insulation is important for your comfort and the efficiency of the system. APS recommends R-6 duct insulation for our desert climate. Also, be sure to seal all duct holes and joints with mastic sealant before insulating. By insulating your ductwork, you may be able to save an additional 5% to 6% on your air conditioning bill. |
| 7. Add insulation to your attic |
One of the simplest ways to save is to insulate your attic, which reduces the workload on your heating and cooling system. Reducing the workload will also help improve the comfort level in your home. Check your attic insulation. You should have at least an R-30 insulation value, or about 8-1/2 inches of cellulose insulation in your attic. If you don't have enough, you can install more insulation yourself or have an insulation contractor do it for you.
| 8. Make sure you have adequate attic ventilation |
sources of summer heat gain in homes |
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| Since attics can reach extremely high temperatures in the summer, your attic should be properly ventilated. Attics with inadequate ventilation can get as hot as 160 degrees F in the summer compared to 120 degrees F to 130 degrees F for a well ventilated space. A general contractor can examine your attic ventilation system, recommending improvements if necessary. A properly ventilated attic will reduce the workload on your air conditioning system. Most homes that comply with building code requirements for attic ventilation and have a clear path for air to move in one vent, through the attic, and out another vent are properly ventilated. Powered ventilators are typically not necessary. |
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Source: Estimated breakdown based on energy analysis criteria published by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers, Inc. |
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| 9. Shade your windows from the sun |
| A good way to improve the energy-efficiency of your home and save on cooling costs is to shade your windows from the hot Arizona sun. Windows on a typical home in the desert can account for nearly 50% of the cooling cost. APS recommends installing sun screens or reflective window film as an affordable way to block out the sun’s heat. Sun screens and/or window film block up to 70% of the sun’s rays and 40% of the total heat that normally passes through windows. As a rule-ofthumb, the most effective means of reducing solar heat gain is to shade the windows from the outside. Stopping the sun's heat before it gets through the glass is much more effective than interior window coverings such as blinds and draperies. Sunscreens are most effective when used on windows with southern, western or eastern exposures. Use of sunscreens on northern exposures, while providing a consistent look to your home, provides little value in terms of energy-efficiency. Window films are most effective when applied to east- and west-facing windows. You may also want to consider planting trees and shrubs to shade your windows and reduce the cooling needs of your home. |
| 10. Weatherproof your home |
| When hot desert air leaks into your home in the summer, your air conditioning system works harder to keep your home cool, costing you money. Sealing cracks and air gaps around your windows and doors, caulking where the walls meet the foundation, and weatherstripping doors and windows are effective means of keeping hot desert air outside and your home cool. You can also insulate switch plates and outlet covers on your outside walls. If your home has a fireplace, be sure to close the damper tightly when you aren't using it. |
| 11. Use a programmable thermostat |
| A programmable thermostat can automatically raise the thermostat a few degrees higher in the summer while you're away from home. Then it will automatically reset it before you get home. If you're going to be away from home for at least a few hours, set your thermostat a few degrees higher. For every degree higher you set your thermostat, you'll save about 2% on the cooling portion of your bill. |
| 12. Use ceiling fans |
| To save money and still stay comfortable, consider setting your thermostat a degree or two higher in the summer and using ceiling fans to circulate air. Ceiling fans make you more comfortable by creating a "wind chill" effect that can make you feel cooler. Because of this, you can set your thermostat temperature higher, causing your air conditioner to run less. You should turn off fans when you leave the room. Ceiling fans do not reduce the temperature in the room. They merely circulate air, making you feel cooler. |
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Source: "Assessment of HVAC Installations in New Homes in APS Service Territory," Proctor Engineering Group, April 1996. |
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