Air conditioners cool down your home in summers and the reverse cycle versions can heat up the space in winters. But they can use up to 40 percent of a household's energy to heat or cool the place and can push your electricity bills up unprecedentedly. The good news is that you can still use them without consuming too much energy provided you're clever with the way you operate your unit. Here are some ways to help you extract maximum energy efficiency out of your domestic air conditioner.
Choose the Right Sized Air Conditioner for the Room
Air conditioners that are too large will have shorter heating and cooling cycles. This causes them to switch on and off. Air conditioners that are too small will need to work extra hard to cool down or warm up the room. Both these situations result in more energy consumption than normal—pushing up your electricity bills for no good reason. The best way to ensure energy efficient heating or cooling is to get an HVAC professional to calculate the air conditioner capacity you need for each room based on its size and layout so you end up with just what you need.
Consider Inverter Models for Rooms Where Possible
Most inverter air conditioners come with a variable speed drive. This variable speed drive is usually found on the fan motor and has the capacity to alter the speed of the compressor when needed. This means that it can run at maximum speed when you need to cool down your room quicker. However, it can also run at lesser speeds when you don't need to cool down the place as quickly—thereby consuming less energy and keeping your bills lower. The impact is far more energy efficient while enabling constant room temperatures.
Compare Energy Consumption Based on Ratings
Most models in Australia come with star ratings. The more stars, the more energy efficient an air conditioner is making it easier for you to compare between different models for your home. While models with higher stars are generally more expensive upfront, keep in mind that they consume far less energy so your long-term electricity costs will reduce because they are cheaper to run. The blue stars are typically for the cooling function of the air conditioner, while red stars indicate heating efficiency.
If you're unsure of what you need in your home, your HVAC technician will be able to guide you to the right decision.
26 July 2018
Howdy! I'm Hank and I am writing this blog so I can give you the lowdown on the cheapest and most effective ways you can heat or cool your home. I'm not a trained HVAC contractor but my brother is. Last year, I called up my brother and asked him to drive over and install a new HVAC system in my property. The old system wasn't cooling or warming my house and it was making a strange noise. During the installation, my brother gave me lots of great advice and explained exactly what he was doing at each step. I hope you find this information useful.