Air Conditioning

Two-thirds of all homes in the United States have air conditioners. Air conditioners use about 5% of all the electricity produced in the United States, at a cost of over $11 billion to homeowners. As a result, roughly 100 million tons of carbon dioxide are released into the air each year—an average of about two tons for each home with an air conditioner.

Switching to high-efficiency air conditioners and taking other actions to keep your home cool could reduce this energy use by 20%–50%. For general information on how air conditioners work and how best to maintain them, see the following:

The two most common types of air conditioners are room air conditioners and central air conditioners. A compromise between the two types of systems is provided by ductless, mini-split air conditioners. See the following for specific information relating to these air conditioners: