Symptom
Power bill suddenly higher?
Heating and cooling are usually the largest share of a home's electricity use, so a sudden jump in the bill often points to the HVAC system running longer or harder than it should. Common causes are a dirty filter or coil, a low refrigerant charge, leaking ducts, a heat pump relying on backup heat, or thermostat settings. Compare against the same month last year first — weather alone changes bills a lot.
Worth booking. Not urgent, but costly every month it continues. Book a visit.
What usually causes this.
These are the common possibilities, not a diagnosis. A page cannot tell which one it is — that takes a technician testing the system.
- Outdoor unit
- Thermostat
- Refrigerant lines
- Ducts & vents
- Filter & return
- Indoor coil
- Heat section
- Dirty filter or coils
- Restricted airflow and dirty coils make the system run longer for the same result.
- Low refrigerant charge
- A slow leak reduces capacity gradually, so the system runs longer and longer.
- Duct leakage
- Cooled or heated air leaking into an attic or crawlspace is paid for and lost.
- Backup heat in winter
- A heat pump relying on electric backup heat can raise winter bills sharply with no change in comfort.
- Thermostat settings
- A schedule that was changed, a fan left on, or large setbacks with a heat pump.
- Aging equipment
- Older systems gradually lose efficiency, and efficiency standards have risen considerably over the past 15 years.
What you can safely check.
- Compare your bill with the same month last year, and look at whether the weather was hotter or colder.
- Replace the filter and clear around the outdoor unit.
- Check thermostat schedules and set the fan to Auto.
- Notice whether the system seems to run constantly, or whether some rooms are uncomfortable.
Leave these alone
- Refrigerant, electrical components and attic ductwork.
What we check when we get there.
In order, and every time — the point of a diagnostic is to find out which cause it is before anything is replaced.
- 01A technician checks airflow, coil condition, refrigerant charge and electrical components, and looks for duct leakage and backup-heat problems.
- 02If the system is near the end of its life, you'll get a straight comparison of repair against replacement, including efficiency.
What it is likely to cost.
A tune-up is the least expensive starting point and often finds the cause. Repairs and duct work are priced after the problem is found.
Repair or replace?
If the system is over about 12–15 years old and needs a significant repair, compare the repair against a correctly sized, higher-efficiency replacement — utility rebates may apply to some equipment.
Compare repair vs replacement- AC tune-up
- From $129
- Furnace tune-up
- From $129
- Leak detection
- From $249
Prices are starting points for standard work in the Savannah area. Final price depends on the system and site, and is confirmed before work begins. Permits and code-required upgrades may be additional.
Questions people ask about this.
- How much of my bill is heating and cooling?
- It varies by home, but in a hot, humid climate cooling is typically one of the biggest single uses of household electricity.
- Will maintenance lower my bill?
- It keeps the system from losing efficiency to dirty coils, low airflow and drifting components. It won't turn an old system into a new one.
Work out the decision:SEER2 ExplainedRepair or Replace?Cost & Rebate Estimator
Further reading:Does your AC just need more refrigerant?What an AC tune-up should actually includeWhich air filter, and how often, in a humid house?What salt air does to outdoor equipment
The service that fixes it.
Maintenance Plans is the work behind this symptom. Its page covers what is involved, how it is quoted and what we stand behind.
- 01Maintenance PlansTwice-yearly service that catches small faults before they become July breakdowns.
- 02AC Installation & ReplacementNew and replacement cooling systems, sized to the house rather than to whatever was there before.
- 03Heat Pump Service & InstallationHeating and cooling from one system — well suited to our climate, and unforgiving of a bad install.
Symptoms that sit next to it.
Systems rarely fail in one way only. If one of these is also true, say so when you book — it narrows the diagnosis before anyone arrives.
The system runs, but the house feels damp, some rooms never keep up, or the bill jumped.
- House feels humid or dampA house can feel damp with the AC running when the system cools the air without running long enough to pull moisture out — most often because it's oversized — or because humid air is getting in through leaky ducts, ventilation or poor exhaust.
- Some rooms too hot or coldWhen one room or a whole floor stays hotter or colder than the rest, the equipment is often fine — the problem is getting air to that space.
Not sure which it is?Describe it to the assistant
Everything else we are called about.
The whole index, in three groups.
HUMIDITY, AIRFLOW & ENERGY BILLS
Get it looked at.
We cover Savannah, the Coastal Empire and the South Carolina Lowcountry. Tell us what the system is doing — you do not need to know the cause. The diagnostic price is given to you before the visit, and the repair price before any work starts.
No heat, or no cooling at all?Call rather than send a request — (912) 858-3737 is answered around the clock.