I'm having central air installed in my house and am trying to decide on a 10
or 12 SEER unit. The price difference I was quoted was $700.00 more for the
12 SEER unit. I've also seen some info that the 12 SEER unit costs about
20% less per year to operate. I live in Philadelphia, where summers can
vary from year to year as far as heat and humidity. Any rules of thumb on
how I can determine how quickly I will recoup the cost difference in cost of
electricity saved?? Or any other advice?

Thanks
--
Ray

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Since I don't know your electrical rates, I can't tell you the actual ROI.

I can tell you this though. A 10 SEER unit will give you 10 BTU's of
cooling for each watt if electricity consumed while a 12 SEER unit will give
you 12 BTU's of cooling for each watt of electricity consumed.

It's also important that the system be installed correctly.


"Ray" wrote in message
nk.net...
I'm having central air installed in my house and am trying to decide on a
10
or 12 SEER unit. The price difference I was quoted was $700.00 more for
the
12 SEER unit. I've also seen some info that the 12 SEER unit costs about
20% less per year to operate. I live in Philadelphia, where summers can
vary from year to year as far as heat and humidity. Any rules of thumb on
how I can determine how quickly I will recoup the cost difference in cost
of
electricity saved?? Or any other advice?

Thanks
--
Ray

Remove NO and SPAM to reply

Why stop at a 12 seer look at 14 you can go up to somewhere around
18.5 with a total system. A 12 vs a 10 is apx 13% savings, do your
own math on your electric bill to figure savings , Nobody else can or
should as its your money and your unique house and electric bill. In
the long run you will be happy with the higher seer as Rates are not
going down and you will see the savings immediately.

"m Ransley" wrote in message
...
Why stop at a 12 seer look at 14 you can go up to somewhere around
18.5 with a total system. A 12 vs a 10 is apx 13% savings, do your
own math on your electric bill to figure savings , Nobody else can or
should as its your money and your unique house and electric bill. In
the long run you will be happy with the higher seer as Rates are not
going down and you will see the savings immediately.


Trane advertises some ~19.5 seer units. I am sure that there are others
manufactures as well. If you planning on staying for any length of time, say
more than 5 years then go as high a seer that you can afford. If your
staying less than 5 years then stick with the 10.
I am basing my suggestion on my local electrical rates. No demand charge,
and I pay about 0.11 a kwh.

Talk to your contractors and get their opinions. They see more situations a
day than you do. Just ask for their best guess. Which is all it will be.
I installed a 12 seer 8 years ago American Standard. I was never sorry that
I spent the extra money. Now I live in a new home that has a 10 seer that
rattles, bangs and in general is hideous in the noise department. Seems to
work ok though I have only turned it on twice in the 30 plus days I have
been in the home. Oh the manufacture, Goodman.

On Fri, 26 Mar 2004 07:36:43 -0700, SQLit wrote:


"m Ransley" wrote in message
...
Why stop at a 12 seer look at 14 you can go up to somewhere around
18.5 with a total system. A 12 vs a 10 is apx 13% savings, do your
own math on your electric bill to figure savings , Nobody else can or
should as its your money and your unique house and electric bill. In
the long run you will be happy with the higher seer as Rates are not
going down and you will see the savings immediately.


Trane advertises some ~19.5 seer units. I am sure that there are others
manufactures as well. If you planning on staying for any length of time,
say
more than 5 years then go as high a seer that you can afford. If your
staying less than 5 years then stick with the 10.
I am basing my suggestion on my local electrical rates. No demand charge,
and I pay about 0.11 a kwh.

Talk to your contractors and get their opinions. They see more
situations a
day than you do. Just ask for their best guess. Which is all it will be.
I installed a 12 seer 8 years ago American Standard. I was never sorry
that
I spent the extra money. Now I live in a new home that has a 10 seer that
rattles, bangs and in general is hideous in the noise department. Seems
to
work ok though I have only turned it on twice in the 30 plus days I have
been in the home. Oh the manufacture, Goodman.



I upgraded to a 12 SEER from a 10 SEER when I built my house, then moved a
year later. I calculated the payoff to be 5+ years, so I did not achieve
what I set out to accomplish.

--
Bob in CT
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"Ray" wrote in message
nk.net...
I'm having central air installed in my house and am trying to decide on a
10
or 12 SEER unit. The price difference I was quoted was $700.00 more for
the
12 SEER unit. I've also seen some info that the 12 SEER unit costs about
20% less per year to operate. I live in Philadelphia, where summers can
vary from year to year as far as heat and humidity. Any rules of thumb on
how I can determine how quickly I will recoup the cost difference in cost
of
electricity saved?? Or any other advice?



Not knowing your life style, size of house, and electric rates no one can
answer your questions! I use my air constantly for the summer months, my
neighbor in a simular house, does not mind the heat as much so he rarely
runs his AC. Getting the point?
Say it costs you $50 to cool your home for a month, if you save 20% that is
$10. You will use you AC maybe 4 months, savings $40 per year. $700 didvided
by $40 comes out to 17.5 years to break even. If you double the savings it
is still close to nine years. Are you planning on staying in the home for
10+ years?
In my opinion, energy savings on equipment like this is often not worth it,
especially in norhtern climates. You either pay the HVAC contractor, or the
power company, you decide! If you want to energy conscious, but a 12 or 14
SEER, If you want to save money, the 10 SEER may be the right one. If you
lived in Arizona, it would be differant.

I work for a HVAC contractor in North Dakota. With our climate we have yet
to sell a 12 seer unit!
Greg

In article ,
says...

Not knowing your life style, size of house, and electric rates no one can
answer your questions! I use my air constantly for the summer months, my
neighbor in a simular house, does not mind the heat as much so he rarely
runs his AC. Getting the point?
Say it costs you $50 to cool your home for a month, if you save 20% that is
$10. You will use you AC maybe 4 months, savings $40 per year. $700 didvided
by $40 comes out to 17.5 years to break even. If you double the savings it
is still close to nine years. Are you planning on staying in the home for
10+ years?
In my opinion, energy savings on equipment like this is often not worth it,
especially in norhtern climates. You either pay the HVAC contractor, or the
power company, you decide! If you want to energy conscious, but a 12 or 14
SEER, If you want to save money, the 10 SEER may be the right one. If you
lived in Arizona, it would be differant.

I work for a HVAC contractor in North Dakota. With our climate we have yet
to sell a 12 seer unit!
Greg


I agree with Greg's thought process. For me, the same "math" yields a
different answer, since I live in a warmer client. We use the AC fairly
constantly from May through September, at about $250 per month before
getting a new central AC system, and $180 per month after replacing an
ancient system with a properly installed, repeat properly installed, 12
SEER unit. It was installed last summer and by the end of this summer,
or at worst next summer, will have paid for itself in terms of the
difference between 10 and 12 SEER.

Marc

I agree with the two above except that I think you need to shop around. I
got a 90%+ furnace and 12 SEER air cond, both, for about $500 more from
Trane than 3 other brands, one Sears, wanted for an 80% furnace and 10 SEER
air. Plus, this time of year, Trane and Standard, they are the same, include
10 years all parts and labor warrantee.

I have never regretted getting it, in East Central Illinois.

Walt Conner

Not knowing your life style, size of house, and electric rates no one
can
answer your questions!

"Ray" wrote in message
nk.net...
I'm having central air installed in my house and am trying to decide on a
10
or 12 SEER unit. The price difference I was quoted was $700.00 more for
the
12 SEER unit. I've also seen some info that the 12 SEER unit costs about
20% less per year to operate. I live in Philadelphia, where summers can
vary from year to year as far as heat and humidity. Any rules of thumb on
how I can determine how quickly I will recoup the cost difference in cost
of
electricity saved?? Or any other advice?

Thanks
--
Ray

Remove NO and SPAM to reply



With the 13SEER rule going into effect real soon, you would be wise to look
into a 14SEER or higher...go with the highest SEER you can afford.
Your local HVAC contractor should be able to run the numbers and show you
what you will or will not save.