Every owner of an air conditioner knows perfectly well how pleasantly cool this device provides, especially when the heat is taking its toll. However, this comes at a price, especially since the costs associated with electricity are not among the lowest. Do you know how much money you spend on using an air conditioner each month? Can you save in this area? In the following article, we will focus on these issues, analyzing what determines the energy consumption of this equipment. We will check how this affects the amount of bills, and we will also present simple solutions that can help minimize these expenses!
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How much electricity does an air conditioner consume depending on its volume?
Air conditioning has already become a permanent fixture in many Polish homes, especially since it not only provides pleasant coolness during summer heat, but can also heat up a room when the weather outside is autumn and winter. This versatility of this device means that many people decide to invest in this solution. The purchase and installation are relatively inexpensive, but it is necessary to pay attention to how much energy a home air conditioner uses, taking into account the cubic capacity of the building. Unfortunately, electricity prices in our country are among the highest in Europe.
Air conditioning devices are usually marked with an energy class, which provides general information about their efficiency. However, actual energy consumption is closely related to the size of the cooled space, as well as other factors, such as the level of thermal insulation of the building and the frequency and time of operation of the device. Let's take an example of a 2.5 kW air conditioner, which can effectively cool a room with an area of up to 25 m2 (a volume of about 60-70 m3), while consuming from 0.7 to 1.2 kWh of energy per hour of operation. In larger rooms, for example in living rooms combined with a kitchen with a volume of 100 m3, a more powerful device is needed, from 3.5 to 5 kW. Such air conditioners can therefore consume from 1.5 to even 2.5 kWh per hour.
It is also worth remembering that other factors also affect power consumption, including the frequency of the compressor. They are present in modern air conditioners, ensuring more economical operation. This is because they adjust their power to the current demand, instead of operating at full speed all the time. However, remember that external factors also affect consumption, especially a poorly insulated room or windows exposed to strong sunlight. In this situation, the air conditioner will work more intensively to maintain the desired temperature.
How to save on electricity bills with air conditioning?
It may seem that saving on air conditioning will have a negative impact on thermal comfort, but this does not have to be the case - you just need to learn simple and effective ways to reduce energy consumption, which will directly translate into lower electricity bills.
One of the most important tasks is to set the temperature appropriately. The optimal value between the indoor and outdoor temperature should not exceed 6-8 degrees Celsius. If it is too low, it will generate higher energy consumption, as well as negatively affect health. You can also use the air conditioner programming function, which allows you to adjust the device's operation to the time of day and our presence in the room.
An extremely important aspect is also regular maintenance of the device. This is important because clean filters and heat exchangers ensure more efficient operation of the air conditioner, which automatically translates into its lower energy demand. Pollution, on the other hand, forces the device to work harder, to greater effort, which increases power consumption.
We should also think about additional investment in methods of reducing room heating. For example, we are talking about installing thermally insulating roller blinds, using curtains or sun protection films on windows. This can significantly reduce the amount of heat that gets into the room. Thanks to this, the air conditioner will not be forced to work at full speed. Let's choose air conditioners with modern inverter technology and a high energy class, because this is a long-term saving. Although the initial purchase cost may be higher, the lower energy consumption will compensate for these inconveniences.
Regardless of whether we choose a ceiling air conditioner or we are interested in wall air conditioners , the above advice applies to each model. Let's follow them and we will save on bills!
Air conditioning bills depending on the season
As for bills, you have to bear in mind that their amount varies depending on the season. Naturally, in the summer the device works most intensively, so electricity bills can increase by as much as 30-50%. The situation is different in the colder months, when the air conditioner heats the room instead of cooling. Here, energy consumption depends on its efficiency, as well as the level of insulation of the building.
In the summer, the biggest factor influencing costs is the length of time the device is running, because on hot days, for example, the air conditioner can run for many hours to maintain the right temperature. High humidity is also a significant factor, which additionally burdens the system.
In winter, air conditioners equipped with a heating function can operate more economically than traditional heaters, but their efficiency decreases when there are very low outside temperatures. This translates into an exponentially higher energy consumption.
It looks a bit different in transitional periods, such as spring or autumn. In this situation, using air conditioning is usually less expensive, although a lot depends on the weather. As we know, our Central European climate can be capricious and unpredictable.
As we can see, there are proven ways to save on cooling through air conditioning. It is worth following these tips, enjoying the pleasant coolness and forgetting about the "horror bills".