Dividend Portfolio Update for July 2023

The weather in southern California is scorching hot, and of course, that’s when the AC compressor decides to go out. This is not my first rodeo and one of the drawbacks of home ownership. Fortunately, not having a mortgage does ease the burden of such significant expenses.

After getting a few quotes, replacing a 5-ton system starts at around $10k for a low to mediocre system (SEER 16) to nearly 20k for a high quality system with a far better Seer rating. (Higher the SEER rating the more energy efficient.)

I wanted that higher seer unit badly but didn’t feel like spending nearly 20k, so I decided to take a different approach and installed the MrCool DIY mini-split system myself.

The total cost, including the unit and all necessary accessories, amounted to about $2,800. And you know what? It works far better than the central cooling system that died on me. One of these 24k BTU units cools the entire bottom floor far quicker than before! The best part is that this new system (SEER 20.5) should be saving me about 60-70% in energy costs!

The installation required an extra pair of hands but it turned out to be straightforward and easy. My next project is to install another 4-zone mini-split for the entire upstairs! I’m excited to see how much my electric bill will be after a few months—I’ll keep you posted. 😊

Now, it’s time to get this LBF dividend portfolio update on the books!