How much electricity does a window AC use? How many Watts does an air conditioning unit use.
Do you want to know how much a window AC unit will cost each month?
We will show you how to figure out the cost of running a window air conditioner each hour, as well as how much electricity it takes.
You will have everything you need to make a well-informed buying decision by the end of this post.
Once you finish reading, you will want to check out our guide on the top rated window air conditioners where we go into more detail on how to pick the best device for your needs and budget.
Between 500 and 1,500 watt of electricity can be used by a window AC unit.If a window air conditioner is used for 8 hours a day, it will consume 200 kilowatt-hours of electricity a month.
The table shows the average amount of watt an air conditioner uses based on window and central air.
The following table can help you figure out the power consumption on an air conditioner.
The Energy Efficiency Ratio is used to determine the relationship between BTU and power in the air conditioner.Depending on the type of air conditioner being measured, the EER rating can be between 8 and 18.The highest EER ratings can be found in central air conditioners.
An air conditioner with a low EER rating will use more watt to power it.It will use less power if it has a high EER rating.
The table below shows the average watt used for air conditioners with an EER range between 8 and 12.
To figure out how much it costs to run a window air conditioner, you need to know two things.
We can use a simple formula to calculate the monthly cost of operating the window AC unit once we have those two numbers in hand.
The national average is 13 cents per kWh, but the price varies widely across the United States.
To find out what you pay per kWh, all you have to do is look at your most recent electricity bill or go to your electric company's website.
When shopping for a window air conditioner, you will often find the appliance described in British Thermal Units (Btu) and not the watts.
An idea of how large a room the unit can handle is given by the international standard of btu.
A window AC unit can cool a room up to 450 square feet.The area is 20 feet x 22 feet.
The problem is that not all air conditioners use the same amount of electricity.
One 10,000 BTU air conditioner can use 900 watt of electricity while another uses 1,000 watt.The watt amount depends on how energy efficient the appliance is.
If you know the wattage used for a window air conditioner, you can combine that with the price per kWh you pay for electricity at home.
How much it will cost to run the window air conditioner will be calculated by that calculation.
The monthly cost for operating a window air conditioner is very simple to figure out.
You can find the total per day, month, and year by knowing the hourly cost to run your window AC unit.
If we assume that you run the unit for eight hours a day, here is how much electricity it costs.
If we take the average of operating the unit for eight hours per day and use the national kWh rate of $0.13 then you can expect to spend the following amount each month on electricity for these various size window air conditioners.
The monthly electricity costs outlined in the previous section would be true for everyone in a perfect world.
There are many things that can lower the cost of your window air conditioner.
Some relate to the appliance itself while others are impacted by things you can't control, like the outdoor climate.
If you are spending more or less than you expected, here are the factors that may be contributing to the change.
The Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio is used to indicate the efficiency of a window air conditioner unit.
The yellow sticker on the window AC unit is called the Energy Guide.
Along with the estimated yearly energy cost to run the appliances, you can find an EER or SEER number on that guide.
The lower the EER, the more efficient the air conditioner is.It costs less to operate each month.
If the window air conditioner you have uses more watts than a comparable product, it will have a higher EER orSEER number, and therefore cost more the use.
The amount of electricity the unit uses can be affected by the temperature you set for the window air conditioner.
When the set temperature is reached, the cooling cycle turns off and only the fan blows, which uses less electricity.
The unit will take much longer to reach the desired temperature if you set the temperature really low.
When it is really hot outside, the indoor temperature can't reach the degree you have the window air conditioner set on.
If that happens, the window AC unit will continue running at full blast without ever turning off the chill cycle, and that will increase your daily cost to run the unit.
You can expect to pay more for a window air conditioner if you live in a hot climate.
The unit must work harder to cool the room if it is running in a room with a separate open window or door.
If the air-conditioned air is contained, the window AC unit won't have to work.That lowers your costs to use it.
The purpose of the air filter is to keep dust, dirt, and other debris from damaging the internal system.
The efficiency of your window AC unit can go down if you don't clean the air filter.
To maximize your air conditioner's cooling efficiency and to keep your operating costs low, check and clean the air filter weekly.
In this post, you learned how much electricity it costs to run a window AC unit.
The answers depend on the efficiency of the appliance and the external factors that may be out of your control.
One way to keep your costs low is to only use the air conditioner when you really need it.
People leave a window air conditioner running all day long because they forget about it.
Taking the simple step of turning it off when you leave the house can help you lower your electricity costs.