Most people don't know that their air conditioner is far more useful than just turning it on and turning it off. You can actually save money with an air conditioner. There are a lot of simple methods which can get the best out of your air conditioner, and the better usage can actually save you money.
Location
Depending on where you live, you'll have the local climate to deal with. In Australia, the range of climate conditions and temperatures can vary a lot. In hot climates, you can also get wet seasons, times of high humidity, and very dry periods. In the colder climates, you may get frost, snow, or other extremes, as well as the humidity, heat and dry times. Modern air conditioning systems can deal with a whole range of environmental issues, including humidity and dry conditions. They'll even keep the dust under control in summer.
Orientation
The basic layout of the premises is like a map of your air conditioning needs. Most houses face north-south, but many do face east-west. The north-south layout creates a typical temperature variable during the day. Air conditioning settings can be simply changed according to season. In the cold season, minor increases in heating settings will deal with the southerly winds and chill factor.
The east-west facing can experience severe heat in summer during the afternoon from the west. The heat can be extreme, and you'll need to modify your air conditioning settings to deal with it. Best practice is to ensure that your air conditioning is operational on good cool settings by noon, to prepare for the onslaught of heat.
Power usage best practice
Power management is really common sense:
Air conditioners really don't have to be kept running all the time. Best usage is simply raising or reducing temperatures to the right levels, and just turning them off. It's also not good for the air conditioner to be in continual use, which can cause unnecessary wear and tear, and result in inefficient operation.
Power saver modes are the best option. The air conditioner will simply shut down, and respond if required to temperature variations. A split system air conditioner will have these features built in.
Light, facing and shade
Depending on your facing, you can do a lot to improve the living space environment:
Keep blinds closed and sunlight out, to reduce interior heat. This takes pressure off the air conditioner, because there's less heated air in the building.
Consider sun screens for shading exposed areas in summer, particularly if you have an east-west facing home. These screens are cheap, easy to install, and reduce the strain on the air conditioner.
Insulation and issues
Good insulation and good seals are great for air conditioners. Heat transfer is very slow in a well insulated building, and good window and door seals will keep in cool or warm air. You can run the air conditioning system, shut down, and you'll find you're saving power and money as well.
Location
Depending on where you live, you'll have the local climate to deal with. In Australia, the range of climate conditions and temperatures can vary a lot. In hot climates, you can also get wet seasons, times of high humidity, and very dry periods. In the colder climates, you may get frost, snow, or other extremes, as well as the humidity, heat and dry times. Modern air conditioning systems can deal with a whole range of environmental issues, including humidity and dry conditions. They'll even keep the dust under control in summer.
Orientation
The basic layout of the premises is like a map of your air conditioning needs. Most houses face north-south, but many do face east-west. The north-south layout creates a typical temperature variable during the day. Air conditioning settings can be simply changed according to season. In the cold season, minor increases in heating settings will deal with the southerly winds and chill factor.
The east-west facing can experience severe heat in summer during the afternoon from the west. The heat can be extreme, and you'll need to modify your air conditioning settings to deal with it. Best practice is to ensure that your air conditioning is operational on good cool settings by noon, to prepare for the onslaught of heat.
Power usage best practice
Power management is really common sense:
Air conditioners really don't have to be kept running all the time. Best usage is simply raising or reducing temperatures to the right levels, and just turning them off. It's also not good for the air conditioner to be in continual use, which can cause unnecessary wear and tear, and result in inefficient operation.
Power saver modes are the best option. The air conditioner will simply shut down, and respond if required to temperature variations. A split system air conditioner will have these features built in.
Light, facing and shade
Depending on your facing, you can do a lot to improve the living space environment:
Keep blinds closed and sunlight out, to reduce interior heat. This takes pressure off the air conditioner, because there's less heated air in the building.
Consider sun screens for shading exposed areas in summer, particularly if you have an east-west facing home. These screens are cheap, easy to install, and reduce the strain on the air conditioner.
Insulation and issues
Good insulation and good seals are great for air conditioners. Heat transfer is very slow in a well insulated building, and good window and door seals will keep in cool or warm air. You can run the air conditioning system, shut down, and you'll find you're saving power and money as well.