How to get a low-cost A/C unit and other help from LADWP to beat the next heat wave
We get what we pay for, and the cost of A/C in California is higher than that in every other state in the union except Alaska.
That’s why you can expect to pay more for a basic A/C unit — and it costs more than it did a few years ago.
According to the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, in 2010, the average total monthly cost for an energy-efficient unit in California was $1,044.60, and in Washington state was $1,058.18.
That was down nearly $300 compared to 2009.
“There’s definitely been a major trend downward in the cost of A/C, but it’s only now that the trend is really reversing,” said Mike Wilson, director of energy efficiency for LADWP. “The cost of energy efficiency is going down. That’s the major benefit of the smart economy: It’s going to drive higher economic activity and higher wages.”
While the cost of energy has decreased, so has the cost of efficiency.
“The cost of energy is falling, but the cost of efficiency is going down,” Wilson said. “As the economy gets more efficient, you’ll get more economic activity.”
Because the cost of buying and installing an A/C system has also decreased, the A/C units now are the cheapest they’ve ever been.
“They’re actually cheaper than when I started my career,” Wilson said. “That’s what’s really been driving the low cost of buying and installing units.”
When Wilson started his career, there were three or four options for an A/C system — then there were eight or 10, and now there are about 20, Wilson said.
“I think that’s one of the major reasons we’re the low-cost choice for A/C systems in the state,” he said.
For more information on the cost of energy efficiency versus the cost of A