How to use your air conditioner more efficiently

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When temperatures start soaring, and heat becomes unbearable outside, expect your air conditioners to work overtime to cool you and your family down. The result? A significant spike in your electricity bills that could burn your pocket.

Fortunately, some cooling implements use advanced technologies to save on power consumption. Pair this with energy-saving pursuits, and you can minimise your power costs.

So, what should you do to maximise your air conditioner's energy efficiency levels? Read on through some tips below:

Know where to place your unit

To make sure your centralised air conditioning units get the proper thermostat reading, refrain from placing lighting fixtures and other electronic devices close to an air conditioning appliance so that it won't read temperatures erratically. As electronic devices generate heat, the unit may read the room temperature at higher levels.

Seek advice from professionals working on units like Daikin Air Conditioners Brisbane on the proper placement for your cooling system.

Don't tinker with the thermostat

This may come as a shock to most: An air conditioning unit that's set to lower temperatures won't necessarily cool the room temperature faster. Instead, it'll only result in higher electricity bills.

This means that you'll achieve that soothing temperature in three minutes, regardless if your cooling unit is set at 22 degrees Celsius (71.6° F) or 25 degrees Celsius or (78° F). Industry recommendations point at the latter as the most reasonable temperature setting. It's the estimated temperature that could help prevent utility bills form surging while keeping your room comfortable.

Prevent air leaks

To ensure that your air conditioner optimises its energy efficiency levels, minimise the escape routes of cold air and entry points of warm air.

One of the more effective ways to do this is to prevent direct heat and sunlight from coming in. When this happens, your device would need to work doubly hard to cool your living space.

During the night, though, you can open your drapes or blinds to allow heat to escape through the windows.

Shade and protect the condenser

Your air conditioning unit's condenser should be placed in a shaded area to optimise its cooling functions. Refrain from placing anything obstructive, like huge ornamental plants or shrubs, close to the condenser. To ensure efficiency, allow for maximum airflow around your air conditioning unit.

Change your filter regularly

Your filter traps all types of contaminants such as dirt and dust. It's highly important in keeping indoor air safe and purified. In addition, it facilitates maximum airflow, which, as we learned in the previous section, is one of the keys to energy efficiency.

Inspect your ducts

A clogged and dirty vent could reduce energy efficiency and is, therefore, detrimental to your efforts at reducing electric bills.

Because your home insulation is negatively affected by malfunctioning ducts, your cooling unit needs to be cleaned to ensure your air conditioner's maximum performance. You may choose to clean the ducts yourself if you've done it before, or call your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) professionals to do the job.

Keep heat-generating activities to the minimum

Apart from heat-producing appliances, some household chores such as baking and roasting can generate heat too. Ironing clothes or running the dishwasher can make your room hotter than it should be, as well. While these tasks can't be completely prevented, what you can do is to wait until outside temperatures drop, and perform these chores in the evening,

Use exhaust fans

Otherwise, you can have exhaust fans installed to help dislodge warm air, grease, and odour from the house. If you don't have any, use a regular electric fan that's placed close to the kitchen floor to keep warm and sticky air from accumulating and to cool the room.

Consider sectioning your cooling system

Saving on your electricity bills could mean re-considering your plans to have a centralised air conditioning system. While this may be convenient, it doesn't promote energy efficiency, as it cools all parts of your home, including rooms without occupants, at any given time.

To maximise energy, choose a decentralised air conditioning system, wherein you can section or choose rooms you want cooled. For instance, if your family's having a movie night in the living room, switch on the air conditioning unit in the area, and switch off the units in your kids' bedroom.

Have your air conditioner serviced regularly

To ensure that your cooling device gets a longer lifespan, don't wait until you hear funny sounds or weird smells to have it checked. As with the other important components in your home, your cooling unit deserves preventive maintenance.

Have your trusted contractor check up on your air conditioner once every year to make sure it's working properly and also to prevent major technical problems from occurring.

Final thoughts

Optimising your air conditioning unit's performance is important not only in minimising electricity costs. It's also a significant activity in reducing carbon footprint and emissions critical to saving the environment.