Running cost comes down to wattage, hours and your rate. In Pennsylvania the rate is 21.55 cents per kWh, which is 16.9 percent above the national average. Here is what that means for a window air conditioner.
A window air conditioner drawing 900 W costs $0.19 per hour in Pennsylvania. Run 8 hours a day that is $1.55 daily, $46.55 a month and $566 a year, which is $81.73 more than the same appliance at the US average rate.
Cost by hours used per day in Pennsylvania
| Hours/day | Energy | Per day | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 h | 0.90 kWh | $0.19 | $5.82 |
| 2 h | 1.80 kWh | $0.39 | $11.64 |
| 4 h | 3.60 kWh | $0.78 | $23.27 |
| 6 h | 5.40 kWh | $1.16 | $34.91 |
| 8 h | 7.20 kWh | $1.55 | $46.55 |
| 12 h | 10.80 kWh | $2.33 | $69.82 |
| 24 h | 21.60 kWh | $4.65 | $140 |
Cost by wattage at 21.55 cents
| Rated power | Per hour | Per day | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|
| 500 W | $0.11 | $0.86 | $25.86 |
| 700 W | $0.15 | $1.21 | $36.20 |
| 900 W | $0.19 | $1.55 | $46.55 |
| 1,200 W | $0.26 | $2.07 | $62.06 |
| 1,440 W | $0.31 | $2.48 | $74.48 |
Find the row matching the nameplate on your own unit. Within a single appliance category the spread is often wider than the difference between categories, so the label is worth reading.
Cooling season in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania sits in the middle band for cooling demand, typically three to four months of real use. The annual figure therefore lands well below the twelve-month projection, and shoulder-season months often need only intermittent operation.
Why Pennsylvania pays what it does
Pennsylvania has a competitive retail electricity market, so the rate used here blends households on the utility default with households on shopped supply plans. If you have never switched supplier you are probably on the default, which is usually the more expensive side of that blend. Only the generation portion of your bill changes when you switch; delivery and outage response do not.
At 21.55 cents, Pennsylvania ranks 36 of 51 from cheapest to most expensive. The Northeast regional average is 25.91 cents. Roughly half of any residential bill is transmission and distribution rather than generation, which is why rates keep climbing even when fuel prices fall.
How this compares across the country
The same window air conditioner on the same schedule, in the cheapest and dearest states:
| State | Rate | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Idaho | 12.35¢ | $26.68 | $325 |
| Utah | 12.96¢ | $27.99 | $341 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.55¢ | $46.55 | $566 |
| California | 33.25¢ | $71.82 | $874 |
| Hawaii | 52.00¢ | $112 | $1,367 |
Lowering the number in Pennsylvania
- Seal the window kit properly. Those accordion side panels leak badly; foam board and weatherstrip tape cost a few dollars.
- Raise the setpoint. Compressor runtime is the cost, and the setpoint decides the runtime.
- Clean the filter monthly in season. A clogged filter starves airflow and stretches every cycle.
- Match BTU to room size. An oversized unit cools fast, shuts off before removing humidity, and leaves the room clammy.
- Close blinds during the day. Direct sun on the room is load the compressor has to remove.
Offsetting it with solar in Pennsylvania
This load uses about 7.20 kWh a day. Covering that would take roughly 5 standard 400 W panels at typical sun hours, an array of about 2.00 kW. Because it offsets electricity worth 21.55 cents rather than the national 18.44 cents, the same array is worth more here than the national payback figures suggest.
Cooling load peaks when solar output peaks, which is the best possible match. A grid-tied system covers daytime cooling with almost no battery involvement. Full sizing, including battery and inverter requirements, is on the solar sizing page for this appliance.
Questions people actually ask
[hed_faq]How much does it cost to run a window air conditioner in Pennsylvania?About $0.19 per hour and $46.55 a month at 8 hours a day, using the Pennsylvania average rate of 21.55 cents per kWh.
How many watts does a window air conditioner use?Around 900 W while running, with a range of roughly 500 to 1,440 W depending on model and setting.
Is that expensive for Pennsylvania?Pennsylvania electricity runs 16.9 percent above the national average, so this appliance costs $81.73 more per year here than it would at the US average rate.
Can I lower this without replacing the appliance?Usually yes. Run time is the variable you control, and the hours table above shows exactly what each hour costs. In Pennsylvania you can also shop for a cheaper supply rate, which lowers every figure on this page proportionally.[/hed_faq]