Wattage is one of your air conditioner’s key attributes. You may have seen the amount of watts your unit uses per hour on its label, but you may not have a clear understanding of them. Here’s a primer on how HVAC wattage affects your air-conditioning system’s performance.
Energy Usage
HVAC wattage helps you understand the amount of power an air conditioner draws to keep your house cool and comfortable. Several factors determine the number of watts an AC system uses, such as the type of air conditioner, the size of the designated space it needs to cool down, and how hard it has to work to cool the space.
Generally, the larger an air conditioner or the space it has to cool, the more HVAC wattage it will use. However, buying a more energy-efficient AC model can help you keep the amount of watts low.
Several factors make your air conditioner work harder. For example, if you buy a system that’s too small for your home, the system will have to work much harder to cool your home. In normal circumstances, an AC unit will use the watts indicated on the label. However, an overworking AC unit will have a higher watt usage.
Predicting Energy Costs
Wattage can help you predict your energy costs even before installing a new AC unit. In Ohio, the average cost of electricity in 2021 was 12.77 cents per kilowatt-hour. Dividing a unit’s estimate of watts per hour by 1,000 and multiplying the result by 12.77 cents for each hour your unit runs can help you calculate your energy costs. While doing this calculation, you should remember that air conditioners typically run only twice per hour for 15-minute cycles.
Energy Efficiency Ratio
The watts that a unit uses can help you calculate its Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER). Divide the unit’s BTU (British Thermal Unit) rating by the watts it uses to get the EER. The higher a system’s EER, the more energy efficient it is.
Considering a system’s wattage as well as other ratings can help you understand its necessary electricity consumption better. For more information on HVAC wattage, contact the professionals at Ace Hardware Home Services, proudly serving the HVAC needs of the Dayton area.
