With the rise in global temperatures and change in climatic conditions due to disastrous ecological imbalances, temperatures are soaring anywhere you go. Especially during summers, the warm temperatures make us feel extremely uncomfortable and many times the heat is unbearable. And so, the only solution that comes in our minds is an Air Conditioner. But owning an AC isn’t a problem, what gets on the nerves are the huge energy bills. These high bills often destroy your entire household budget. In this article, we will walk you through some of the ways of saving on AC bills. Read through for more.
1.Select an Energy-Efficient AC
If you want to save big on your air conditioning you need to make sure that you select the right AC that suits your cooling requirements. There are a few things to check to make sure your AC is the most energy-efficient. We will quickly list those features or things to consider in the AC you are looking to buy:
- Make sure that the AC you are selecting is of the right size for your room or space. Too large and the unit will make the air damp inside the room. Too small will need it to work more to cool the big room which will increase the electricity bill.
- Choose an AC which has preset energy saver setting, that means the AC runs the best with least energy consumption and optimum cooling. Such settings can help you save a lot on your bills.
- Make sure that the AC’s you choose are of higher SEER and EER ratings; EER stands for energy efficiency ratings and S stands for Seasonal.
- Check if your AC is BLUE ENERGY STAR certified. This certification implies set energy efficiency standards are met.
- Ensure that you have got a wifi enabled AC so that you can turn the AC off when needed with ease or schedule it to be switched off automatically when not in use.
2. Choose an Affordable AC Maintenance Provider
The next very important thing is to make sure that you are choosing an affordable air conditioning services provider. That way you will be able to save on all your maintenance and upkeep bills for the air conditioner. Do a google search and you will get a comprehensive list of all the service providers. Based on your preferences and other requirements choose the provider that matches your pricing needs. Try getting an annual maintenance package that may cost you less than one-off servicing appointments.
3. Automating AC to Adjust either Thermostat, Power, or Put on Timer
Using the AC when not required and maintaining the power and optimum temperature saves a lot on your AC bills. Usually, people set the thermostat to an extremely low temperature even when a much higher temperature may be necessary for the best comfort. For instance, setting the thermostat to 18 degrees when a temperature of 24 degrees is enough to maintain comfort in the room leads to unnecessary wastage of energy. Plus the chills that you feel at such low temperatures can make you fall ill. So the idea is to maintain an optimum temperature and comfort level in the room.
Most AC’s nowadays come with an Automatic mode that automatically adjusts the thermostat and the functioning of the AC based on the temperature and the environment in the room. This is the best mode to keep your AC at for saving big on your energy bills. Once an optimum comfortable temperature is attained the AC unit automatically adjusts and stops the cooling by reducing the speed of the condenser fans and starts again when the room is heated thereby running only when required.
AC’s nowadays come with a timer option as well in which a timer allows you the time for which the AC will be turned on and after the set time it will switch off automatically and a normal ceiling fan can suffice for the rest of the night or the day. Making sure you have all these features in your AC will ensure you save big on your energy bills.
4. Placing the AC Condenser Under a Shady Spot
Your condenser or the outer unit of the AC is the portion that has to work all the time to make sure your room is cool and comfortable. Keeping it under the direct exposure of the sun would mean that the unit will get heated even more and with all the heat that is dissipated from the unit as well as the fan, your condenser will have to work overtime and harder to cool and that means more energy will be consumed. Hence, it is always recommended to place the AC condenser under a shade so that the unit does not heat up unnecessarily and its efficiency does not get impacted.
5. Using Fans instead of AC during Cold Days
You can combine the use of fans with your AC during hot days. You can keep the AC switched on for say a couple of hours and then let the fan circulate all the cool air in the room. When the room heats up again switch on the AC or set a timer for it to be switched on automatically. During cold days you can let your AC take some rest and use your fans if you are feeling too hot. This would surely save quite a lot on your bills.
Conclusion
So though the high energy bills for using an air conditioner may get worrisome, if used wisely you can save a lot on energy bills. Follow these practical energy-saving techniques and tips for the best experience while using your AC. Make sure you use your AC units only when needed and where needed and schedule or time them as per requirements. Keep your AC units well maintained and serviced so that they run with their maximum efficiencies at all times. And make sure you are using the services of affordable air conditioning services to save on your maintenance bills as well.
A perfect mix and a blend of all these will ensure your AC’s are cool and comfortable for your homes and on your pockets too.