An air conditioning is always the best choice for hot days, especially in summer. However, paying more money for the electricity bill might make some people sweat. Averagely, the energy consumption from the air conditioner engrosses about 40 – 50 percent. It means that you will spend $2 – $3 per day if you use it for all day. In case that you’re using a ceiling fan, you just pay 15 cents per day. So, do you think that you should stop using the air conditioner? Well, to help you use it effectively, I will show you a couple of useful energy saving tips. Take a look below now!
4 tips to help you save energy for the air conditioner
- Try to avail the thermostat effectively
Setting up the thermostat is an important thing when mentioning efficient ways of diminishing the AC’s power consumption. If you set the thermostat at 78oF, you can save a great deal of energy. According to the experts, setting it as high as possible (as long as it’s suitable for you) will be the best choice. The simple rule is that you need to reduce the total cooling cost acquired by reducing the temperature between indoors and outdoors.
Owing to that, you can save about 6 – 8% of the cooling cost. Besides, you should shut it off when you are not at home. Moreover, ensure that your best thermostat needs to be set a bit higher than normal. Don’t lower it when starting the air conditioner and avoid letting some source of heat (i.e. electric lamp) near the thermostat.
- Let the air conditioner be in a good condition
Having a well-maintained AC will help you cut down monthly electricity bills remarkably. More ideally, please check its filters once in a month and clean it if necessary. In case that it’s not cooling accurately, asking for a professional will be a good option. Bear in mind that a unit that has any trouble can take your electricity bills more dollars.
If your unit is about 5 – 10 years, you should consider replacing a new one, as newly recommended energy-effective units boast of cutting down on the energy consumption by as much as 40%. Try to consult Energy Star ratings from the US Environmental Protection Agency and the US Department of Energy so that you can pick the energy-effective devices for saving dollars and protecting the environment.
- Stop direct sunlight and reduce heat generation in your house
Ensure that you don’t permit any heat from outside to your room to minimize your expenditure on the air conditioner. Therefore, try to protect your home from direct sunlight by availing drapes, awnings, shades, etc. Additionally, growing some trees around your home will give more shades during the daytime. Of course, you should avoid from creating the heat in the house itself. Remember to turn off the lights when not in use because the heat could be produced by these lights because the heat created the lights might diminish the speed that the cooling happens in the room. Ah, don’t forget to avoid activities that waste more power as ironing or washing clothes, especially in the afternoon.
- Reduce the amount of air that leaves from your house
Most people know that we should close the doors and windows when using the air conditioner, but not all people actually follow this suggestion. So, the cold air will escape to the room and permit the hot air entering. And this will postpone the cooling process. The best thing is that you should avoid some activities that ask you to move in and out of the room regularly. Try to avail caulking and weather-stripping windows from where air might escape. Besides, ensure that the exhaust fans in your home are turned off, and fireplace damper is accurately closed.
Truly, the AC that is exposed to direct sunlight will consume 5% more power than one in the shade. Additionally, you need to keep it on continuously for a longer duration of time instead of shutting on and off every once in a while. In general, the way you use the air conditioner will reflect in your electricity bill. Do not mind consulting our tips to help you save more dollars on your next bill.
This is some great information, and I appreciate your point that having a well-maintained air conditioning unit will cut down monthly expenses. I haven’t had my unit inspected for a while now, and I didn’t realize that neglecting regular maintenance like that could actually be costing me money! I’ll definitely look into having a professional come and inspect my air conditioner so it will run at its most efficient. Thanks for the great post!
You’re welcome. I just share some information that I knew to help others learn ways to cut down their energy bills. I’m happy to know my post is useful for you. Thank for your comments.
I believe that some of us are having second thought about buying air conditioner especially in tropical countries. It is expensive and it will add up to our electricity bill. Thanks for sharing this article.This tips are very helpful.