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Most companies know that refrigerant gas leaks cost money, but not all of them have a handle on the true short- and long-term costs. Fortunately, there are a couple of user-friendly online calculators available at not cost to assist in the number crunching exercise.

To start with, carbon emissions calculator for The Real Zero campaign, which was developed for the Institute of Refrigeration, helps identify such factors as the cost of replacement refrigerant, technician time to repair the system and materials and considers downtime costs.

Taking it a step further means you have to look at associated costs when a leak occurs, as well as the value of stock that must be sold to recoup the cost of replacing the leaked refrigerant gas.

To help with these calculations, refer to the U.S. EPA’s Greenchill Financial Impact Calculator. Using these calculators requires a little time and effort but it’s sure to pay off in cost savings.

Calculating the cost savings for refrigerant gas leak detection

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Saving money on energy requires different procedures. To save money on energy one can schedule a programmable thermostat installation.

About $200 can be saved a year by following ENERGY star guidelines for programmable thermostat use.

There are several steps in doing so. A programmable thermostat gives you the ability to adjust the times your air conditioner turns on or off according to a pre-set schedule.

Save Money with a Programmable Thermostat

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Purchasing and installing a new, energy-efficient AC system in 2012, might deem you eligible for a tax credit. Recently on Jan. 2, 2013 the fiscal cliff avoidance legislation retroactively restored the 25C tax credit for highly efficient AC systems.

To be eligible for this credit your air conditioner must have been installed in 2012 and be Split system central air conditioners with 16 SEER and 13 EER or Packaged central air conditioners with 14 SEER and 13 EER. If you have an old AC system you can schedule for an AC installation. Although one can still utilize the $300 tax credit for the installation of efficient AC systems.

2013 Air Conditioner Tax Credit Guide

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As winter finally leaves and is replaced by spring, it may be time to prepare your AC for warm weather by cleaning the condenser. You should also have the conditioner inspected – but this is not the same thing! You can clean the AC condenser on your own, at home.

This is the section of the AC which cools the air, and sits outside of your home. There shouldn’t be any problems cleaning the unit as long as it is clear of debris, since it is designed to sit outside in all weather.

The process of cleaning the condenser involves disconnecting the power, cleaning surrounding debris, rinsing the tubes and vents, and making sure nothing is blocking air flow. This can all be accomplished within 20 minutes.

How to Clean Your AC Condenser