Want to know how much energy a typical appliance uses? Check out the chart below. The costs displayed are approximations based on cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh). Actual costs may vary. What is phantom load? Any appliance that has a light, clock, or remote control uses electricity even when it’s not being used. Often the power switch simply puts the appliance into standby mode. Phantom load is the electricity it draws while still plugged in, because the unit is not truly “off.” You can save energy by unplugging appliances or by plugging them into power strips that can be switched off when not in use. To see how energy use affects your bill, try our Residential Bill Calculator. MC = TCn – TC1thth MC = TCn – TCn-1 AC = TC/ Q Putting the above table in the form of a graph would give Relationship between Marginal Cost and Average Total CostDuct installation drives up the cost of adding home air conditioning. You may be sweating over what it could cost to add air conditioning to your home.

But, depending on the type of system you choose, the price can range widely, and it may even be less than you think. While air conditioning isn't cheap, there's a good chance you can get a suitable unit without blowing your household budget. top ac units 2014Central Air Conditioning The average cost to add a central, or whole-house, air conditioning system to a home ranged from about $2,200 to $2,800 in 2012, according to Homewyse data. ac home unit for saleCentral air conditioners move cool air throughout a house through a duct system. car a/c repair austinContractors usually link central air conditioners to the ducts of an existing home heating system. Average installation costs could double if a contractor has to add, or redo, duct work before installing a central air conditioner.

Mini-Split System Consider a ductless, mini-split system if you want to add air conditioning to an older house that doesn't already have a heating system with duct work. Mini-split systems also are an option if there's not enough space in a basement or utility room to install ducts inside a house. The average cost of this type of air conditioning system ranged from around $1,600 to $2,800 in 2012, based on Homewyse pricing. Room Air Conditioner A room, or window, air conditioner may be noisier than other models, but it also could save you some cash. Room models sometimes use less energy, because they don’t work to keep several rooms cool at one time the way central air conditioners do. On average, Homewyse pricing shows that room air conditioners ranged from $300 to $400 in 2012. At those prices, you could put a unit in several rooms of a house and still spend less than you would on other air conditioning systems. Cost Calculators The cost of adding any type of air conditioner to a house depends on the price of materials and labor in your area.