As per researches, every degree of temperature increased results in a 6% decrease in the energy consumption for a split AC.
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Electricity bills are a major cause of concern during the summers, thanks to the incessant running of air conditioners. While you can’t completely avoid the high bill, you can mitigate it to a great extent by using the air conditioner sensibly. Foremost among the tips is to run the AC at a higher, yet comfortable temperature. Studies by various agencies prove that setting the temperature at 27-degree celsius can reduce the AC bill by up to 30%. As per researches, every degree of temperature increased results in a 6% decrease in the energy consumption for a split AC.
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It is a common misconception borne by many to reduce the temperature to 18 degrees to quickly cool down the room. But the fact remains that the time taken to reduce a room’s temperature to a comfortable 27 degree Celsius remains the same whether you set the AC temperature at 18 or 27 degree Celsius.
But, when you set a lower temperature, the compressor has to work extra hard to reduce the room temperature. This results in a higher energy bill. Even if you switch off the AC within a few minutes after setting the thermostat at 18 degrees, the dissipation of cool air through various leaks will increase the temperature rather quickly making the whole exercise futile.
What To Do Instead?
Many of the AC users do not make proper use of various functionalities available in the AC. Sudeep of Smart Home Guide says, “ Most individuals do not make proper use of the timer function available in air conditioners. If you set the thermostat at 27 degree Celsius and set the timer for 2 hours and use a ceiling fan along, it is usually sufficient to maintain a comfortable temperature for sound sleep.”
Some of the newer split ACs even have sleep options which gradually increase the temperature by 0.5 degrees celsius every hour to a maximum of 3 degree Celsius and repeating the cycle to optimize energy consumption while making the users comfortable throughout.
Other Factors To Consider
While setting the right temperature helps reduce energy consumption, buying the right AC is even more important in keeping your energy bills low. The first and foremost aspect to look at is the AC tonnage. If the AC has a low tonnage for a room, the AC will have to work extra hard to lower the room temperature. If on the other hand if the tonnage is high, you will be paying for a higher bill.
Next, ensure that you buy an AC with a high ISEER rating, especially, if you plan to use the AC on a daily basis and for a long duration every day. The ISEER rating can be found on the BEE label of every AC sold in India.
If budget permits, it is always advisable to buy split AC instead of window AC as it has higher durability, better aesthetics and lower cost of operation.