The Personal Financier: 10 Tips on More Efficient and Economic Use of Air-Conditioners

Air condition your home more cheaply and more efficiently

Surging oil and gas prices have generated a high increase in electricity costs as well. With the summer approaching rapidly I decided on taking a look at some options of cooling our homes cheaper and in a more energy efficient manner.

The air-conditioner is the most common way of cooling our homes and as such I’ve decided to focus on it this time. Here are the tips I’ve been able to gather through some research. As always, I’d appreciate any ideas you might have:

#1 Set the air-conditioner to no less than 77F or 25C

Apparently each couple of degrees less will cost about 5% more in increased electricity consumption. Setting the air-conditioner to lower levels will force it to constantly operate trying to reach lower temperature it can’t possibly reach.

#2 Use a thermometer to better adjust the temperature in the room

My air-conditioner comes with a built in thermometer in the remote control. This way I know what would be a realistic temperature to set the air-conditioner to in order for it to operate economically.

#3 Properly shade your home

Shading dramatically lowers the green house effect created from sun radiation heating your glass windows and, in turn, your house. Experts claim proper shading can reduce air-conditioning costs by up to 30%.

#4 In the summer vents should be directed up-wards

Cold air travels down towards the floor as it is heavier than air. Adjusting the vents up-wards would enable the cold air to travel better to the entire room.

#5 Clear any objects directly obstructing the flow of air

The space close to the air-conditioner’s vents should be clear of any objects obstructing the air-flow. A close sofa, for example, might significantly hinder cooling efforts. If a particular object gets really cold it’s in the way.

#6 Keep the air-conditioner’s filters clean

Over time dust accumulates on the filters and can significantly reduce the efficiency of the air-conditioner. Clean filters at least once a month for optimal results.

#7 Make sure the area conditioned is sealed

There’s really no point in air-conditioning the living room with all the doors open.

#8 Make sure the unit is properly installed and is not located next to heating sources

Many different parameters need to be considered when installing an air-conditioner. Among these is its location, its physical installment and its exposure to external heating sources (the sun, an oven, etc.).

#9 Install fluorescent lights

Fluorescent lights are much cheaper in the long run and also give out no heat. If you’ve ever stood under a regular bulb for more than a couple of seconds you know how much heat they generate.

#10 Relatively new Inverter technology

A relatively new air-conditioning technology called “inverter” increases the efficiency of air-conditioning units. Air-conditioners with an “inverter” tag essentially have the ability to continuously regulate their thermal power flow. While regular air-conditioners either turn their compressors on or off inverter air-conditioners can vary the speed of the compressor thus saving power and also keeping the temperature more leveled and comfortable.