7 tips to save air conditioning costs in Darwin
It’s a wonderful thing, air conditioning. Press the button and cool air floats through the room even while the temperature and the humidity soar to uncomfortable levels outside.
When you live in Darwin, it’s seen by many as essential.
The trouble is that it’s so easy we forget it’s costing money. In fact, AC power costs can account for up to 70% of a home’s energy consumption.
But there’s no need to get all hot and bothered about that. Whether you’re looking to invest in a new system or to upgrade your existing units, or simply to improve the efficiency of what you have, you can stay cool with these top 7 tips to save AC power costs – even in Darwin.
1. Don’t set the temperature too low
Most people are comfortable with a temperature setting of 24 to 27 degrees Celsius. Don’t be fooled into thinking that a low setting will cool down the house faster. All it will do is make your unit work harder. Remember, just one degree below the unit’s optimum temperature can increase your cooling costs by up to 10%.
You don’t have to be icy cold… just cool. Set your temperature between 24C and 27C.
2.Get an AC unit that fits your room size
Whether it’s a single room system or a ducted system through the house, your AC unit needs to match the size of the job you want it to do. That’s where the expert advice of UBCool comes into its own to ensure your unit is fit for purpose. Too small and it will be working too hard, costing you money in running costs. Too big, and it will cost you unnecessary money in the first place. Our staff are trade qualified and will advise on the heat load of the room, suggesting where curtains, louvres or tinting can improve performance and save you money.
3.Choose a good brand
You get what you pay for. Market leading brands have invested heavily in technological research to offer the best in efficiency, reliability, and quality. UBCool stocks Australia’s top brands and are also the official service agents for these brands. That means you can trust the advice, trust the manufacturer, and trust our service and maintenance.
4.Compare the energy ratings
The star rating system runs from 1 to 6 stars. More stars mean more energy efficiency, which means cheaper running costs. Every extra star can save you about 10% in running costs and lower greenhouse gas emissions significantly (ref.1).
5.Regular servicing will save you money
What you want is optimum performance of the unit to keep the room cool at the optimum temperature setting. And, you want it every time you switch it on. Professional servicing and maintenance on a regular basis – we recommend annually – will ensure that sort of reliability. It will also extend the life of the unit and help to avoid costly repairs or breakdowns.
6.Only use it when needed
You don’t need a nice cool room when you’re not there. If you have a ducted system, use the room zoning system to cool only where you want to be. Turn off the system when you leave the house and turn it on when you return: it will take about 20 minutes to nicely cool the room to your desired temperature.
7.Help out your AC
You can give a helping hand to make sure your AC is doing its best to keep you cool. Insulation in the ceiling makes a considerable difference to cooling and heating efficiencies. Close doors and windows to the areas you are cooling to keep cool air in and warm air out. Use fans to help circulate the cool air. Close blinds and curtains to keep sunlight out, particularly when you are out of the house and the AC is not running.
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