We all know the summers in Perth can be incredibly hot, with some days reaching well over 40o C. Even though every day may not be this hot in the summer, the average highs for January, the hottest month of the year, still sit at a sweltering 31o C. During these hot, summer months, which run from December to March, we often rely on our air conditioning just to be able to cope.
During the summertime, we may find ourselves running our air conditioners non-stop. The problem with this is that when the temperatures are hotter outside, our air con runs less efficiently. With the summer just around the corner, we have put together some of our top tips to help you increase the efficiency of your air con. By following some of our four suggestions, hopefully, you’ll be able to save some money on your upcoming electricity bill, and also reduce your carbon footprint.
- Do Not Adjust the Thermostat
When the weather gets hot outside, naturally, it feels warmer inside, too. At these times it is all too tempting to adjust the thermostat on your air conditioner to try and make the room cooler more quickly. However, are you aware that your air conditioner can only cool the room at the same rate, no matter how low your temperature is set at?
In fact, if you lower the temperature on your thermostat all that will happen is that it will take even longer for your air conditioner to reach that desired setting. This will place a huge strain on your air conditioner, trying to make the room even cooler when the temperature outside is even hotter than usual. In turn, you’ll end up seeing a massive increase in your energy bill.
The recommended setting for an air conditioner thermostat is usually around 25o C. Any cooler than that, and the room may feel too cold, besides which a colder temperature will require your air con unit to work too hard, especially during the baking hot months. Even though it might seem tempting to lower your thermostat, it is really best to leave it as it is.
- Don’t Open the Curtains during the Day Time
It’s beautiful weather outside, the sun is shining and… it’s time to close the curtains! That’s right, as counter-intuitive as it seems, it’s really best to keep your curtains closed in the summer, that’s if you want to reduce the strain on your air conditioner, and in turn, reduce your electricity bills. Allowing natural light to enter the room will reduce your lighting costs, but comparatively, it costs more to run an air conditioner than it does for a light bulb.
Well, perhaps you prefer natural sunlight than settling for a light bulb in the middle of the day, but if there is no one in the room, then you should definitely close the curtains. This is even more important if the windows face either east or west, where strong sunshine pours in either during the mornings or afternoons, respectively.
Any sunlight coming into your home through a window will heat up not just that room, but the entire property, so if you have east- or west-facing windows, don’t forget to go in and draw the curtains and keep them closed during the daytime in the summer. During the evenings go back in and open the curtains, drapes, or blinds and the heat will escape through the windows as the temperature drops outside.
- Use a Fan at Night
During the daytime it may be too unbearable to be indoors without the air conditioner on, but when the sun goes down the outside temperatures usually drop to around 18o C. This will usually be cool enough to sleep, even though our homes still feel the heat from the day. We can open the windows and use a fan to help blow out the hot air, and the breeze of the fan will also help send us to sleep.
Fans use far less energy than air conditioners, so it will help save on your electricity bill too. Rather than keeping your air con running for 24 hours per day in the hottest part of the year, consider turning it off overnight, to give it a rest and let some fans do the work. Even if you must keep your air conditioner on, using fans will ease the burden as they move cool air around your home.
- Use a Dehumidifier
As electricians in Victoria, Perth, we say, “if you have a dehumidifier, use it”. Quite often, when we feel hot in our homes, it’s because of the humidity. If you use a dehumidifier with a combination of fans, you are likely to be able to set the thermostat higher, which will reduce the workload of your air conditioner, and in turn, reduce energy bills.
Some models of air conditioners have a dehumidifier built in, so check the instructions to see if you can change the settings to make the room drier, and not necessarily cooler. Getting rid of the humidity in your home will make you feel more comfortable, so consider making it less humid over a preference for colder temperatures.
If you want to contact us to talk about any of air conditioning products and services, please call now on (08) 9375 3926. Richtek Solutions are based in Perth, WA, and are able to reach you in any suburb of the city. Alternatively, you can write us a message on our contact page on the website, leaving your name, email, phone number, and your location, and we’ll get back to you.
