How to Reduce Your Air Conditioner Running Costs

How to Reduce Your Air Conditioner Running Costs

Air conditioners are a saving grace in a hot summer, however, they are one of the most expensive appliances in your home. On average Queenslanders spend $1,964 a year cooling their homes with that money you could afford a month's rent for a two-bedroom home in Brisbane. But it's not all doom and gloom there are some tips and tricks you can use to save you money cooling your home this summer.

Tips for Before You Install Your Air Conditioner

1. Correct Size Unit For your Home

   This is something to look into when you are first looking at getting an aircon as making the right decision here can save you big time in running costs. Most modern air conditioners use inverter technology, which means they adjust to the room's temperature, not the temperature of the air coming out of the unit. This has implications for the efficiency of the system:

   • A small system in a large room must work overtime to keep the room at the set temperature.
   • A larger system will have to work less, as its output is greater allowing it to better cool the space.

2. Installation Position

   When you install your aircon it is firstly important that you have it installed by an ARC tick-approved installer as it is illegal to install an air conditioner yourself in Australia. Secondly, the positioning of your aircon (split system) in both the indoor and outdoor units is important in ensuring maximum efficiency from the unit. The indoor unit should be positioned in a way that allows it to blow lengthways across the room which allows it to better cover the room. The outdoor unit should be positioned somewhere out of direct sunlight with a steady flow of air.

3. Ducted vs Split System

   We already have a whole article on this topic on our website you can read it here. But for this article, we will sum up the article. Ducted air conditioners in most situations are far more efficient when cooling your whole house they allow for zoning and discrete installation however the upfront costs are far more expensive than a split system. Split systems are much cheaper to install and are perfect for when you only want to cool one or two rooms and can come as a multi-split system that can be zoned and allows for whole-home cooling. By working out what you want for your home whether it's just cooling the living room a split system is for you if it's cooling your whole home a ducted aircon is probably the best pick for you.

4. Insulation and Glazing

   Ensuring your home has efficient insulation and double glazing on your doors, walls and windows to minimise heat transfer from the inside and outside of your home.

   

Tips For Once Your Air Conditioner is Installed

1. Maintenance and Cleaning

   Correct maintenance and cleaning is one of the easiest ways of maximising the efficiency of your aircon. A dirty or broken aircon will become inefficient costing you in running costs it can also become a breeding ground for mould and other contaminants that when the system is turned on will rain their spores down on your home. Having your air conditioner cleaned each year will ensure that it remains working as it should and combat mould and other contaminants getting into your air conditioner.

2. Ceiling/Pedestal Fans

   Ceiling and pedestal fans are a great way to circulate the aircon’s cool air around the room or home allowing the system to cool and keep running costs down.

3. Zoning

   Using zoning systems in a ducted or multi-split system to only have the air conditioning running in the rooms you are in will save on wasted air conditioning in rooms that don't need to be cooled.

4. Timing

   Much like zoning it is important to consider when you run your aircon some things to consider are:

   • Turn the aircon off overnight when it cools down or when you go out during the day
   • Don't wait for your home to heat up if it's forecasted to be a hot day turn your aircon on earlier minimising the energy needed to cool the home down initially

5. Shade

   Shade is a great way of minimising the effect of the sun's heat on your home. Pergolas, large eaves, trees and covered verandas are a great way of minimising the sun getting into your home and warming it up. Curtains or blinds are another great way to minimise the heat getting in.

6. Temperature

   As a rule of thumb, your air conditioner should be 8°C less than the outdoor temperature for example 32°C outside your aircon should be at 24°C. The 8°C rule minimises the wear and tear on your system. Where possible though you should set your air conditioner to 24°C as this is the most efficient temperature every degree less than this adds an extra 5% to your running costs.

   

By following these tips you can help minimise your power bills while still getting the most out of your air conditioner. If you require air conditioner repairs, installation, or cleaning services All Purpose Air Conditioning is your go-to team for South East Queensland. With over a decade of on-the-job experience, our team are here to help you get the most out of your air conditioning.