Remember back in January, when you wished it were warmer?

It turns out wishes really do come true. One of the benefits of living in Kansas is the climate variety, as the weather changes so frequently and in many different ways. If the rising thermometer has you nervous about the sky-high electrical bills that typically come with it, perhaps it’s time to invest in a new high-efficiency air conditioner.

Air conditioners today are not made the way they once were: In the past, when energy prices were lower, the amount of electricity consumed by an air-conditioning system was not a great concern for manufacturers. Now, however, thanks to technological advances, federal requirements and an emphasis on ”going green,” high-efficiency air conditioners are available that can be literally twice as efficient as those from previous decades.

These advanced, energy-efficient air-conditioning systems can come with a higher price tag–at least, on initial purchase. But an air conditioner is a long-term investment, and as such, you should really consider the long-term costs and benefits. A high-efficiency system will save you money on your electric bills month after month, and year after year.

You can get an idea of how those savings add up by utilizing Energy Star’s Life Cycle Cost Estimate worksheet. It allows you to compare the lifetime costs of different air conditioners based on their SEER ratings. SEER, or Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio, is the most common measure of air-conditioning efficiency; the higher the SEER rating, the less electricity is required to produce the same cooling effect. The worksheet calculates not only the total electrical costs and savings, but also the environmental impact, since reducing your electricity consumption also cuts down on the amount of greenhouse gases released by power plants.

The best time to start saving money on your air-conditioning bills is, of course, right now, at the start of the summer cooling season. To learn more about the high-efficiency air-conditioning options available for your home in the Kansas City area, contact the experts at Overland Park Heating and Cooling, Inc. We’ll be happy to answer your questions.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).For more information, click here to download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

Overland Park Heating & Cooling services Overland Park and surrounding areas in Kansas. To get started, check out our website or see our current specials.