Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
2100 SF house, NW Raleigh
2 adults, 2 kids
House is 14 1/2 years old, original units, natural gas and electric (no heat pump)
Programmable thermostat
Summer kept at 78 most of the day
Winter kept at 68 most of the day
Dual-zone
On the downstairs unit, we had the compressor replaced ($900) about 5 years ago. So far (fingers crossed), both units are still chugging along. We have also had other minor (under $200) A/C repairs over the last 3 years. I am looking at replacement due to age and efficiency this spring, to keep us from being forced into a quick decision. The most important question in my decision is whether or not our utility bills are much higher than they would be with newer, more efficient units.
Our highest summer bill (Progress) was $243 this summer and $277 last summer. I attribute the drop partially to the fact that we had reflective window films installed on the front windows this spring, because the geniuses who built our house put the thermostats right in the hallways where the light comes in from the windows. So the films helped keep the bright sunlight toned down.
Our highest winter bill (PSNC) was $190 last winter and $186 the winter before. Is this in line with local averages?
This last year we have been on the equal monthly payment plan for both utilities, and our Progress bill is $143/month and PSNC is going to be $67 this year (down from $72 last year).
So my question is, are those bills excessively higher than what others pay for the same fuel type (gas and electric) that we would see a drop in prices if we replaced our units with newer, more efficient ones, or would the savings be so negligible that we should keep our current units until the repair costs force us to buy new?
Last edited by goldenncmom; 11-05-2011 at 01:37 PM..
Absent the audit, what's you lowest electric bill? The difference between your highest and lowest gives you an idea pf your cooling cost. Comparing the efficiency of your old unit and how efficient your new one is you'll get an idea of what you can save.
Wild guesses - you spend maybe $150 on cooling (peak summer bill of $250 vs base electric bill of $100). You can probably increase your AC unit efficiency by 35% fairly easily. But that only saves you $50 or so per month and *maybe* $250 per year in cooling saving. Not exactly a quick payback.
What might make better sense, and the audit will help here too, is to plug any air leaks and increase your attic insulation if your house was built to the norm 15 years ago. This will help lower your energy costs winter and summer without the expense of replacing your heat pump and gas furnace.
Lowest electric bill was in April this year and was $79.
Any suggestions for local peeps to help with the insulation in the attic? We have blown in which I have never liked anyway.
Blown in actually works well in the attic. Batts wouldn't span the framing members.
We used Peak Energy. Nathan impressed me with his honesty, knowledge and integrity. He has a real passion for energy efficiency and combines that with a construction engineering degree from NC State. He hand built an attic pull down insulation cap for us that is a marvel of efficiency and ease of use.
I am with Frank, blown insulation is superior. In regards to the HVAC, any new unit would be significantly more efficient than a 14 year old model. The SEER (seasonal energy efficiency rating) rating in that era is about 8-10, while nowadays they are a minimum of 13. When you are ready, I would recommend calling Justin Woodlief at 796-2017. He performs all the HVAC for about everyone I know as well as 50 or so City-Data members. very competitively priced and knowledgeable as they come.
I should disclose that we have extensive experience with just about every brand of HVAC equipment, some that is not even currently manufactured. (That just tells you that we've been around for a while and are as old as dirt.)
In years past, my first three choices for HVAC equipment has been:
1-Trane,
2-Carrier,
3-None
(because no other manufacturer had the same quality equipment) for my personal home, our rental properties, and recommendations to our customers.
Then, Westinghouse re-entered the market after a brief absence and they came back STRONG with quality components and a superior warranty:
They are pretty serious about both quality and service.
HVAC equipment all has the same basic components. There are minor differences in design and the amount of the advertising budget of the manufacturer, but the real difference here is the equipment component quality and the warranty behind it.
IMHO, Westinghouse in today's market is superior in every way.
You will get your best "bang for the buck" by adding insulation and "tightening up" your home. Next, buy the highest SEER equipment that your budget will allow from a reputable HVAC contractor with a history of dependability.
I blew in insulation on my 2000 sq ft house. We went from (roughly) R25 to (roughly) R45-R50 for $280 with that 1/3 tax credit. Lowes had the machine that we "rented" for free. From the research I did, it was the best "bang for the buck" you can get.
Quotes to do it were in the $1000-$1200 range before the credit. For the 5 hours it took us to do it, saving the $ was well worth it to DIY.
I've found the house temps are much more even, we now keep the house at 72F in the winter and 76F in the summer and average (all electric heat pumps) bill is now roughly $130/month. That is just averaging it out over the year. House is 5 years old. Our highest bill this summer was $167 IIRC, and that is with zero shade 100% sun.
Ultimately you could save more money by going gas for heat and using a programmable t-stat to have it turn on at say 6:30AM and off at 7:30AM. Then come on at 5PM and off at say 9:30PM. With electric you basically have to run them all the time. Gas is easy to turn on/off and the heat is instant. I wish I had your setup with gas heat and electric a/c.
If you do replace your unit, go for the highest SEER you can afford. I have a 1200 sqft house in SW Florida where I just spent the summer. My highest electric bill was $49. My Ruud/Rheem central AC has a 15.5 SEER.
We had our gas heat/a/c combo unit replaced in the downstairs almost 2 years ago. The repair guy actually had to cap the line as the heat exchanger was rusted and leaking CO2 into the house. Not fun in the dead of winter in February. Our unit was 13 years old, so about the same as yours. I would be very careful about a gas unit that old, CO2 can be lethal.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
which I have never liked anyway.
HVAC Equipment Replacement
