Craigslist Air Conditioner (2024)

FAQs

How much should I spend on an air conditioner? ›

The average central AC unit cost is $5,900, with most homeowners spending somewhere between $3,600 and $8,200 to have an HVAC professional install a central AC unit. Central AC installation costs will be higher if your home does not have pre-existing ductwork.

Even a 5,000 BTU air conditioner will be inefficient if the room is too small. The AC will cool the room to quickly and won't reduce humidity. It will also cycle on-and-off too frequently. Efficiency issues will also result from installing it in a larger room than it's designed for.

Here's how long some of the most common types of AC last:

Portable AC — 5-10 years. Residential single whole-home AC unit — 15 years.

Your AC has limits, no matter its age, how well it was installed, its manufacturer, etc. As a rule of thumb, when it's 95 out, your AC can cool your house to approximately 70-80. Your air conditioner will be able to cool to about 15-25 degrees from the outside temperature.

Cost Of Replacement Of Home AC Compressor

Generally, the cost of a home AC compressor is around $1,200. The cost to replace it ranges between $800 and $2,800. The labor and material make up around 50 percent of the final bill. The cost of its parts ranges from $450 to $1,500.

If you're trying to cool a single room, a window unit is cheaper than a central air system. However, if you're trying to cool an entire building, running multiple window units at the same time is inefficient and more expensive than a central air conditioning system.

If your space is 300 square feet, you want to find a model capable of producing at least 6,000 BTUs. As a guide, consider 5,000-BTU models for rooms 150 square feet or smaller, 8,000 BTUs for medium-size rooms (340 square feet), and 12,000 to 14,000-BTU models for rooms with square footage from 550 to 800.

In general, a 5,000 to 6,000 BTU air conditioner can cool between 100 and 300 square feet. Seven thousand to 8,200 BTU units are adequate for cooling 250 to 550 square feet, while 9,800 to 12,500 BTU models cool up to 950 square feet.

The best time to split the difference is spring. Air conditioning units are cheapest during the cold months just before the manufacturers release their new models. At that time, you can get the best discounts because retailers want to make room for the new ones.

Is it cheaper to leave air conditioner on all day? ›

While it may seem more convenient to keep the AC running 24/7, doing so will consume more energy overall and lead to higher electricity bills. The most cost-effective approach is to turn the AC off or raise the temperature setting when you're away from home or sleeping.

For many of us, 70 degrees is the ideal indoor temperature, but when it is close to 100 degrees outside, your AC unit will be working quite hard to meet these expectations. Consider setting your thermostat at 75 degrees to 80 degrees in your home if the outside temperature is approaching triple digits.

Setting your air conditioning to 72°F is generally considered a comfortable indoor temperature for many people. It strikes a good balance between comfort and energy efficiency, making it a popular choice for residential settings.

You can also reduce your energy costs significantly by raising the temperature while you are at work, away from home, or asleep. For the greatest savings, consider setting your thermostat to: About 78 degrees while you are at home. About 82 degrees while you are sleeping.

How much does it cost to run an air conditioner? It could range from $0.25 per hour for a small unit cooling a small space, up to more than $3.00 per hour for a reverse-cycle unit that's ducted to cool your entire house. If you run the system on most days over summer, the cost can quickly add up.

The upfront costs may be higher to purchase a high SEER air conditioner, but the benefits of upgrading include: A more energy-efficient AC in your home, meaning it does a better job of keeping you cool in hot weather. Decreased energy bills, especially during the humid Clinton summer.

With an average cost of $0.175 per kilowatt-hour of electricity in May 2024, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, running the air conditioner adds an average of $437.50 to Americans' utility bills each year.