Why This Matters in Georgetown TX
Georgetown's summer electricity demand is extreme. A home running a 10-year-old system with a dirty coil, low refrigerant, and leaky ducts might be paying $180/month more than necessary. Williamson County electric rates average $0.12–$0.14/kWh — a 15 SEER replacement for a 10 SEER unit can cut cooling costs by 30–40%. Before recommending replacement, we audit your system's actual efficiency to identify quick-win repairs that could deliver 80% of the efficiency benefit at 10% of the cost.
Common Causes & What They Cost
Our Georgetown technicians diagnose these issues daily. Here's what we find most often.
An AC system running 15% low on refrigerant uses 25–30% more electricity to produce the same cooling. The compressor runs longer at reduced efficiency, raising both energy costs and wear.
$150–$350 to recharge; often pays back in 1–2 monthsA condenser coil clogged with cottonwood, grass, or pollen forces the system to work harder to reject heat. A dirty evaporator coil restricts heat absorption. Both conditions increase runtime and electricity use.
$120–$280 for professional coil cleaning30% average duct leakage in older Georgetown homes means you're paying to cool your attic, not your living space. A $1/day duct sealing investment often cuts annual cooling costs by $200–$400.
$300–$800 for duct sealingSingle-stage systems run at 100% capacity or off — they can't modulate. An older 8–10 SEER system running when a 16–18 SEER2 two-stage unit would cool the same space at 40% lower cost is a genuine replacement candidate.
$4,500–$7,500 for new high-efficiency systemAn oversized AC cools the space too quickly, shutting off before dehumidifying. The system short-cycles — starting and stopping more frequently, which uses more energy than a properly sized system running longer cycles.
$200 Manual J + replacement if confirmed oversizedHow We Diagnose It
We ask about your monthly kWh usage and calculate expected usage for your home size. Significant overrun points to HVAC efficiency issues.
We test refrigerant pressure and inspect both coils. These are the two most common efficiency killers and are often fixed same-day.
We measure duct system leakage. If you're losing more than 15% of airflow, duct sealing will have a meaningful impact on bills.
We identify your system's rated SEER and compare to current standards. If it's below 13 SEER, a replacement discussion is warranted with a detailed payback calculation.