Annual Cooling Cost Comparison

Size or cooling capacity in:

 Cooling Efficiency in SEER (Years produced)
A/C System (tons) BTU/Hour 9
(1980’s)		 10
(1990’s)		 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
2 24,000 $900 $810 $730 $670 $620 $580 $540 $500 $470 $450 $420
2.5 24,000 $1,120 $1,010 $920 $840 $780 $720 $670 $630 $590 $560 $530
3 36,000 $1,340 $1,210 $1,100 $1,010 $930 $860 $810 $760 $710 $670 $640
3.5 42,000 $1,570 $1,410 $1,280 $1,180 $1,090 $1,010 $940 $880 $830 $780 $740
4 48,000 $1,790 $1,610 $1,470 $1,340 $1,240 $1,150 $1,080 $1,010 $950 $900 $850
4.5 54,000 $2,020 $1,810 $1,650 $1,510 $1,400 $1,300 $1,210 $1,130 $1,070 $1,010 $950
5 60,000 $2,240 $2,020 $1,830 $1,680 $1,550 $1,440 $1,340 $1,260 $1,190 $1,120 $1,060
Example: Annual cooling cost to run a 3-ton (36,000 BTU/Hour) produced in the 1990s with a 10 SEER will be $1,210.
If replaced with a new 15 SEER system, the cost drops to $810 – a savings of $400 per year.
Costs based on 2,800 annual cooling hours and 12 cents per kWh (average for South Florida)

Example: Annual Cooling Cost to run a 3-ton (36,000 BTU/Hour) installed in the 1990s with a seer will be $1,070. If replaced with a new system, the cost drops to $670 – a saving of $400 per year.

Costs above are estimates based on South Florida area average of 2,800 annual A/C cooling operating hours and current 10.6 cents per kWh.