Even for those who love having fun in the sun, there’s no denying the fact that Philippine summers are often too hot and sticky for comfort. Many of us escape the scorching heat by retreating behind closed doors and cranking up the air conditioner. However, if you’re not careful, running the aircon for long hours each day can cause your monthly electricity bill to climb even higher than the temperature.
On hot days, it’s important to strike a balance between keeping cool and using your home air conditioning system cost-efficiently. While this might sound tricky to do, it’s much more achievable than you might think. There are actually many ways to keep your aircon usage smart and economical all year round. Try the five simple yet effective tips outlined below:
Invest in an Energy-Efficient Air Conditioner
Choosing an appropriate air conditioner for your space is the best way to save money on air conditioning. For starters, you’ll want a unit that’s properly sized for your space, as a unit that’s too large will make the air in your room unpleasantly clammy and damp. One that’s too small, meanwhile, will have to work harder than it should to cool your surroundings adequately, which will in turn drive your electricity bill higher. Size is probably the single most important factor for consideration when it comes to purchasing the most energy-efficient aircon possible.
The type of aircon you purchase also matters, as different types of unit work best in different living spaces. If you live in an area where the weather is hot most of the year, for instance, a split type or packaged air conditioner should serve you well. Searching for a good split type aircon price online will also show you that these air conditioning units are now much more affordable than they might have been years ago.
Maintain Your Aircon Properly
A poorly maintained AC unit will inevitably drive your electricity expenses much higher than one that gets cleaned and serviced as often as it needs to. Have repairmen check regularly for any leaks in your installation that might be allowing cool air to escape your house, as even the smallest gaps can make a big difference on your bill. It’s also critical to repair or replace parts that have begun malfunctioning due to regular wear and tear so that your aircon can keep working well.
Once a lot of dust, dirt, and grime have accumulated in your aircon filters, your unit will have to work harder and thus use more energy to cool your house down. It’s necessary to clean or replace your filters often to maximize your aircon’s functionality and energy usage. Though cleaning your house’s AC units may seem like a tedious chore at first, doing so diligently can save you plenty of money in the long run.
Set Thermostats and Timers
When you’re trying to save energy, every degree on your aircon’s thermostat makes a difference. Rather than fiddling with the temperature, experts advise setting your aircon at a comfortable temperature and just leaving it alone to cool the room. Setting your thermostat to around 22 to 24 degrees Celsius is usually recommended. Whatever you do, it’s best to set your thermostat to around 8 degrees below the outside temperature maximum and no lower. To illustrate: if it’s 32 degrees out, your thermostat should be set at 24 degrees Celsius or warmer to conserve energy.
Aircons with built-in timers allow you to set not only the temperature but also the hours that the unit is operational, to maximize efficiency. For instance, if you want your air conditioner on only through the hottest parts of the afternoon, you can simply set the timer to run for a few hours and turn off automatically around sundown. Then you can just forget about it and go about your daily tasks without having to worry about any excess consumption bloating your energy bill.
Turn Your Aircon Off at Night
Nighttime is a great time to keep your aircon off, as the air is likely to be cooler in the evening than during the day. Take advantage of this by skipping the aircon in favor of opening a window and maybe running a fan instead. On especially breezy nights, you may even find that just the air coming in from outside is more than enough to soothe you right to sleep.
Limit Use of Heat-Producing Devices
Many devices that you use every day emit heat while they’re running, especially if you have them on for a long time. This accumulated heat makes it harder for your air conditioner to cool your house down. Turning off televisions, computers, lamps, printers, stoves, and other heat-emitting devices when not in use will help your aircon work more efficiently and earn you big savings on your electric bill. Turning off lights in any unused rooms is another way to reduce your energy consumption significantly and help keep your house cool in the process.
Saving energy doesn’t mean that you and your family have no choice but to suffer in the heat. Follow the tips above and you can still enjoy a cool, comfy home at minimal cost.
useful tips. our electricity is running high this summer, too. i don't turn it on the whole night... just 1-2hours on, and the rest of the night is just the fan.
thanking notes for when we purchase our own aircon na. But omg be sure to have an inverter aircon. coz my mom just transferred to the unit her brother owns, all knowing that they provided us inverter aircon only to find out a huge electric bill after and realizing that the aircon they placed arent inverter at all. ahhh.
When we had AC, we used to just turn it on at night time when we're about to sleep and turn it off at 7AM in the morning. But with the change of weather in the recent, it makes a lot of sense to turn it on at day time and not at night time because the humidity is usually at day time.
I agree need talaga mag tipid nowadays at syempre need mag invest din sa okay na air conditioner na energy saving at makakatipid ka at still quality pa din. ☺️
I'm using 2 units of split-type AC with inverter in my 2 bedroom apartment, and glad it works well. I just wish that I have a solar power system installed para mas tipid sa energy.
useful tips. our electricity is running high this summer, too. i don't turn it on the whole night... just 1-2hours on, and the rest of the night is just the fan.
ReplyDeletethanking notes for when we purchase our own aircon na. But omg be sure to have an inverter aircon. coz my mom just transferred to the unit her brother owns, all knowing that they provided us inverter aircon only to find out a huge electric bill after and realizing that the aircon they placed arent inverter at all. ahhh.
ReplyDeleteWhen we had AC, we used to just turn it on at night time when we're about to sleep and turn it off at 7AM in the morning. But with the change of weather in the recent, it makes a lot of sense to turn it on at day time and not at night time because the humidity is usually at day time.
ReplyDeleteI agree need talaga mag tipid nowadays at syempre need mag invest din sa okay na air conditioner na energy saving at makakatipid ka at still quality pa din. ☺️
ReplyDeleteI'm using 2 units of split-type AC with inverter in my 2 bedroom apartment, and glad it works well. I just wish that I have a solar power system installed para mas tipid sa energy.
ReplyDelete