How Much Does AC Cost in Seattle?

If you’ve lived in the Seattle area for any length of time, you’re probably aware that our weather pattern seems to be changing. According to Seattle Met Magazine, (https://www.seattlemet.com/articles/2019/5/29/is-it-time-for-seattle-to-embrace-air-conditioning) since 2015 we have had 2 different record-breaking heat waves during the summer. We’ve also had extremely poor air quality in August for two years in a row due to large forest fires filling our region with smoke and ash. This poor air quality discourages people from opening their windows. If this pattern continues it will make air conditioning more important than ever in Seattle.

If you’re not running your system’s fan often, you’re missing out on a lot of the benefits of owning a home with a central duct system. Read on to find out why running your fan is a powerful tool to improve the health and comfort of your home's inhabitants.

The Dark Ages of Heating and Air Conditioning

Up until a few short years ago, if you owned a home with no central ductwork in Seattle, you had limited options for heating and (especially) air conditioning. Many homes with no ductwork have some form of electric resistance heating, usually either wall heaters or baseboard heaters. Many Seattle homeowners still suffer from these decades old, costly, inefficient, and uncomfortable systems. Unfortunately, adding a central ductwork system to a home not designed with one in mind can be extremely expensive, and in some cases impossible or entirely cost-prohibitive. Until recently, this was the only real air conditioning option for homes built without ductwork.

Today’s modern central heating and cooling systems for homes, if designed well, can be extremely intelligent. Most modern thermostats can be programmed to heat or cool your home by whatever schedule is convenient. Some even support geofencing, allowing the system to optionally know when you’re about to get home by the gps location of your phone and turn on your heating or cooling, making your home comfortable before you even walk in the front door. All of these features allow you to “set it and forget it,” only touching your thermostat a couple of times a year if you wish.

There can be a down side to all of this convenience, however.