In summer, many people turn on their air conditioners (ACs) to beat the heat. But, when they see their electricity bill, they start sweating. It is because air conditioners consume a lot of energy when compared to other electric appliances. Typically, a 1.5 ton AC consumes energy equivalent to that consumed by 55 tube lights.
If you are looking for ways to cut down on your electricity bills while you are using AC, you are at the right place. Here are some tips to lessen your energy costs significantly while using AC.
For first time buyers
If you are planning to buy an AC for your home or office this summer, these tips will help you in choosing the right one.
- Prefer window AC to split – Window ACs are less expensive when compared to split AC. Both window AC and split AC consume almost the same energy but there is huge difference in initial, installation and maintenance costs. One additional benefit of window AC is that it provides some ventilation.
- Go for energy star models – Energy star models are energy efficient and they ensure energy savings. Though they are a bit expensive, than the regular ones, they’ll save electricity and your money, as they use up to 25% less energy than other models, and up to 40% less than 10 year old models.
- Don’t take high tonnage AC – Decide on the tonnage capacity of an AC based on the size of your room and the number of people occupying it. For a standard room size a 0.75 to 1 ton AC is sufficient.
For existing AC users
- Run AC less often – Make it a habit of switching it off when you or no one is in the room. It is better to use AC during the hottest days.
- Run ceiling fan while using AC – Running ceiling fan helps in spreading the cooling across the room and increases air circulation. Run the fan slowly so that the cooling spreads evenly.
- Clean or replace air filters regularly – It is very important to clean or replace air conditioning filters once in a month when it’s in use. Dirty filter makes your AC work harder which uses more electricity.
- Place window unit in shade – Prefer placing the window unit in an area where there is shade. You’ll save 10% energy. Condensers in the shade use up to 10% less electricity than those that are placed in direct sunlight.
- Clean the condenser units at the beginning of each summer – Condensers are typically located outside, so there are high chances of dirt, leaves and debris getting accumulated inside it and you will need to clean it properly at the beginning of summer. If you can do it yourself, go ahead, otherwise, take help of a technician.
- Paint interiors with light colour and roof in white – Dark colours increase the cooling costs by 20%, when compared to light colours. Prefer light colours for your interiors and also get your roof painted in white, as it results in lowering the temperature in your room.
- Plant shade trees – Well-positioned shade trees can reduce indoor temperature up-to 20 degrees and save energy use up-to 40%. Planting trees in the right place reduces air conditioning needs, and provides shade and cool air.
- Seal doors and windows – Close doors/windows properly when the AC is switched on; even a small opening may result in loss of energy and your room will not cool uniformly.
- Use drapes or blinds to block sunlight – During the day, shade your windows and doors with drapes or blinds to block direct sun’s rays. Direct sunlight can raise the temperature of a room by 10-20 degrees.
- Install reflective film on windows – Reflective film reflects the sun’s heat from your windows, and can block 40-60% of heat. By applying reflective film to the window you can reduce heat.
- Use CFL – Replace your conventional lights with CFL bulbs. They use 75% less energy and generate 70-90% less heat at the same time.
These tips can help you save electricity bills significantly.
We also recommend you to read:
Split AC Vs. Window AC