Terri Ramsey Beavers Save On Your Electricity Bill
It is common for your electricity bill to soar in hot weather due to an increase in air conditioner (AC) power consumption, and this can be a large and unforeseeable cost. Checking your AC’s power rating can provide a sense of how much power it consumes in perfect conditions and this might help you understand your costs better. However, such conditions are seldom all present in real life.
Multiple factors affect the efficiency of your AC and consequently the amount of power it consumes. These include things like how old your unit is and in what condition it is, how its air ducts are designed, the air-tightness of the layout of your space as well as the weather. This makes calculating the exact expense of your AC’s power consumption a tough one.
There are online AC electricity cost calculators you can use to obtain a rough sense of how much power your AC is consuming. However, it is easier to cut down on your AC power consumption than to actually measure it. Here are some tips you can try.
Find out more about the cost of electricity in singapore to calculate the best and most efficient ways you can save on that utility bill.
Just one degree more
Often, you cannot really differentiate between a mere one-degree increase in temperature. Thus, just adjusting your thermostat to one degree higher than what you would normally set. That would help reduce energy usage by allowing your AC to run less often, using less power.
Every degree higher than the outside temperature increases the power consumption of ACs significantly. Thus, making these minor changes would not only accumulate in the future but also make being conscious about your thermostat settings a habit.
At the workplace, you can start by explaining ways in which you, along with your colleagues can be energy efficient during a meeting. It is difficult to reduce overall AC power consumption alone with this goal in mind. It would be helpful to highlight the main changes (e.g. new standard temperature in the office) or easy ways that everyone can take part in.
Smart thermostat
Ensuring that your AC only runs when necessary and that temperature is appropriately set is key to making sure that you are using your AC efficiently. This can be a hassle to keep an eye on yourself.
Fortunately, with the use of a smart or automated thermostat, this can be easily done. A programmable thermostat can be used to set a schedule to turn your AC down when there is nobody in the vicinity and this can help you to reduce your AC power consumption. Since a bulk of such thermostats are designed to save energy, some of them can even program themselves over time by learning your schedule. Smart thermostats also come with a corresponding phone app that allows you to set the temperature remotely, should you forget to do so. All these can aid you in learning more about how much energy you use.
Clean your air ducts and clear airflow
ACs use more power if they need to fight against clogged vents that disrupt the airflow. Thus, keeping the ducts and vents clear and clean, as well as ensuring that your furniture and layout of the room is kept clear of the vents can help your AC to run better.
Maintain your AC regularly
As with most electrical appliances, keeping the parts clean and in good working conditions, as well as fixing electrical connections is essential to allowing your AC to run more smoothly and efficiently. You would be able to understand why maintaining your AC regularly is so important if only you could see inside an AC that has been lacking in proper care. Research even shows that AC maintenance keeps your AC about 95% of its initial efficiency levels.
Air filters
A stuffed filter is synonymous with a clogged sink – it runs more smoothly if it is free of blockage, even though some things are still able to go through. In the same way, AC filters can accumulate too much dust over time and even gather on the motors and fans of your AC, slowing the whole system down. Consequently, an AC with a blocked filter might cause a sharp increase in power consumption as it is now required to run for longer periods of time.
Filters can be changed during AC maintenance by your technician but a more frequent change might be needed, depending on how often you use your AC.
Insulating your space
If replacing your AC entirely is not within your plans, consider insulating your space instead. This can be helpful in lowering your power consumption to maximize your AC’s energy efficiency. This way, your AC would not have to generate as much power to get your space to the desired temperature. Some of the most important spots to insulate should include HVAC components like outlets, ducts, and pipes.
Update your AC
Retrofitting your AC by upgrading certain components on your current AC is a good route to go for if you do not want to change your AC completely to a newer model. One such way is to include additional ventilation, replace the compressor or add more condenser fan controls, to reduce AC power consumption.
This might be a more practical option if you use your AC very often and hence consumes a lot of energy, which has been maintained regularly. It is a good middle ground to have such that you get to enjoy several advantages of a newer system whilst not forking out a large amount of money for a replacement.
An energy-efficient AC
Lastly, opt for an AC which is more energy-efficient instead of settling for the identical type of system as before if getting a new one is what you are looking for. Different equipment may help to lower your power consumption even further. You can find affordable refurbished packaged terminal air conditioners (PTAC) units at PTAC Inc. that are energy efficient which can help you lower your bill.
An example of this is a Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) system. This allows for an adjustment of temperature at the necessary capacity needed. It can be further adjusted to separately control different areas in your room. The smart VRF system can even heat other areas by re-using unused heat from the cooling process, using less energy as a whole.
Conclusion
For those of you who use the AC a lot, finding ways to make sure the AC unit works as efficiently as possible is the best way to save on the electricity bill without sacrificing its cooling airflow. Try raising the temperature by one or two degrees or schedule more regular maintenance sessions – it won’t take much of your time.