Planning estimate

Cooling operating-cost calculator

Compare the approximate electricity use and annual cost of two central air-conditioning efficiency scenarios. Use ratings measured under the same standard.

Calculated on this page. No address, utility login, or API call.

Your assumptions

Enter two cooling scenarios

For a useful comparison, enter both efficiency ratings as either SEER or SEER2. Do not compare one SEER value with one SEER2 value.

Rating standard Use the same standard for both systems. System capacity (tons) One cooling ton equals 12,000 Btu/h. Estimated cooling hours per year Use an estimate from your past runtime or contractor. Electric rate ($ per kWh) Find the energy charge on a recent utility bill. Current system rating Current SEER rating. Proposed system rating Proposed SEER rating.

The formula

How the estimate is calculated

Annual kWh (capacity in Btu/h × cooling hours) ÷ rating ÷ 1,000

Annual cost is estimated kilowatt-hours multiplied by your electric rate. This follows the rough SEER operating-cost method published by the Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute.

What this estimate cannot know

Weather, thermostat settings, humidity, and actual part-load operation
Duct leakage, airflow, equipment sizing, and installation quality
Blower, crankcase heater, standby, demand, or tiered utility charges
Differences between SEER and SEER2 test conditions

Use the result to compare assumptions—not as a promise of bill savings. Ask a qualified contractor for a load calculation and a project-specific estimate.

Method source

The operating-cost formula is adapted from AHRI's homeowner guidance for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio. The calculator does not retrieve or license AHRI directory data.