Six Tips to Reduce Your Air Conditioning Expenses while Maintaining Comfort this Summer

To mitigate rising energy costs during summer heat, maintaining your air conditioning at 24 degrees Celsius, lowering the blinds, and utilizing ceiling fans are three of six effective strategies for remaining cool while conserving electricity.

Set your air conditioner to 24 degrees Celsius

The U.S. Bureau of Energy Efficiency advises maintaining your air conditioner at 24 degrees Celsius for best efficiency and cost savings.

At this stage, the air conditioner's compressor may deactivate upon achieving the target temperature, so minimizing total electricity use.

Please close the blinds

Sunlight entering via windows can elevate indoor temperatures and increase the workload of your air conditioning system, as reported by CNET.

Maintain blinds or drapes in a closed position during peak daytime heat to obstruct thermal influx and enhance insulation. Thermal or blackout curtains can effectively inhibit the escape of cold air, so assisting in the maintenance of a lower ambient temperature with reduced energy use.

Utilize a ceiling fan to facilitate cooling

Operating a ceiling fan at low or moderate speed enhances the circulation of cool air more effectively. The U.S. Department of Energy states that this can create a cooler ambiance in the room and enable an increase in the thermostat setting by as much as 4 degrees Celsius without causing discomfort.

Smart ceiling fans can be configured using an app to change automatically according to your schedule.

Perform regular maintenance on your air conditioning system

The accumulation of dust and dirt can diminish the performance of your air conditioner.

Regular maintenance, encompassing filter cleaning and service, guarantees optimal unit performance and reduced energy use.

Install a smart switch or a humidity sensor

Smart switches enable the scheduling of your air conditioning unit to activate and deactivate at predetermined times, so preventing superfluous operation, as reported by the business news platform Moneycontrol.

Humidity sensors can enhance system automation by initiating cooling solely when necessary, hence reducing total consumption.

Increase the thermostat setting when feasible

The Nebraska Energy Office of the U.S. recommends raising your thermostat by 10 to 15 degrees Fahrenheit (5.5 to 8.3 degrees Celsius) for eight hours daily to potentially decrease annual cooling expenses by up to 10%. A modest increase can reduce your energy expenses by up to 3% annually.

Configure the thermostat to maintain elevated temperatures during your absence and to reduce the temperature just prior to your return.