Why Texas AC runs harder

Three reasons: the heat is extreme (100°F+ for weeks), the humidity is high (dehumidification is part of the cooling load and adds ~20% to the work), and summers are long (5-6 months of AC dominance). Average Texas household uses about 1,800 kWh/year for cooling alone, 2-3× the national average.

The AC efficiency rating you see

SEER = Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio. Higher is better. Every SEER point above 13 is roughly 7-8% more efficient than the one below it. A 2026 system is rated SEER2 (revised methodology), which reads ~1 point lower than old SEER for the same unit — don't be alarmed that new units appear "worse." It's just a different measurement.

  • SEER 10-12: pre-2006 systems. Due for replacement.
  • SEER 13-14: 2006-2015 systems. The legal minimum at the time.
  • SEER 15-16: most new installations today.
  • SEER 17-22: premium/variable-speed. Higher upfront, highest savings.

Upgrade economics

Replacing a SEER 10 unit with a SEER 16 unit in a Texas home cuts cooling electricity by about 35%. On an 1,800 kWh cooling baseline at 12¢/kWh, that's $75/year. Hmm — doesn't sound like much, right?

For a normally-sized Texas home, actual cooling usage is often closer to 4,000-6,000 kWh/year because the duty cycle is so high. That changes the math: $150-300/year in electricity savings.

New system cost: $5,000-$9,000 installed. Federal tax credit up to $2,000 (25C credit). Texas utility rebates from $200-$1,500 depending on TDU. Net cost often $3,500-$6,500. Payback: 7-15 years — but the old unit was going to fail anyway, so the marginal cost of going SEER 16+ instead of SEER 13 is usually much smaller ($500-$1,500 extra) and pays back in 3-5 years.

Maintenance that returns more than its cost

Change filters monthly

Dirty filter restricts airflow, making the system work harder to move the same air. A blocked filter can add 5-15% to energy use. Filters cost $5-20. This is the highest-ROI AC maintenance you can do, by a wide margin.

Annual coil cleaning ($100-150)

Outdoor condenser coils accumulate dust and debris that insulates them from the air they're trying to dump heat into. Cleaned coils = 3-10% efficiency improvement. DIY version: gentle hose spray, condenser off, avoid bending fins.

Check refrigerant charge ($80-120)

Low refrigerant makes an AC run longer for less cooling. Professional check every few years. Don't DIY this.

Seal ducts ($300-800)

Residential ductwork leaks 20-30% of conditioned air on average — often into the attic where it does no good. Mastic sealing or Aeroseal (a proprietary aerosol sealing process) cuts cooling load 10-20% on a typical Texas home. One of the highest-ROI retrofits available.

Insulate the attic ($1,000-3,000)

If your attic is R-19 or less (pre-1990s standard), upgrading to R-38 or R-49 cuts cooling load 10-15%. Often combined with radiant barrier for best Texas results.

Things that don't help much

  • Fancy air filters: HEPA-grade filters restrict airflow so much they can hurt efficiency. MERV 8-11 is the sweet spot for residential Texas HVAC.
  • UV lights in the duct system: sold as efficiency boosters. Real function is mold control, not energy.
  • "Smart" vents: oversold. Closing vents usually just increases static pressure, which reduces efficiency elsewhere.

When to replace vs. repair

Rule of thumb: if the repair estimate exceeds 30-50% of replacement cost, and the unit is 10+ years old, replace. If the repair is less than 30% of replacement and the unit is under 10 years, fix it.

Specific sign it's time: the unit uses R-22 refrigerant (phased out, now $100-200/lb vs. $10-30/lb for R-410A). Any major repair on an R-22 system is usually a replacement trigger.