Air conditioning can account for up to 50
% of your summer electricity bill so try to use it only when
necessary to remain comfortable.
Average residential daily energy
consumption is 25 KWh or about 1 KWh per hour.
A room air conditioner adds about 1 KWh
per hour to your energy usage. If it is left running for 24
hours, that will total about 24 KWh, doubling the average
residential energy consumption. The cost to run a room air
conditioner for 24 hours will average between $2.00 - $3.00 a
day. (A ceiling fan will cost about 15 cents a day. A portable
fan about 30 cents.)
When shopping for a central or window
air conditioning unit, choose newer Energy Star(r) qualified models
which are up to 70 % more efficient than older models.
A central air conditioner adds about 3.5
kWh per hour to your energy consumption. If your central air
conditioning unit runs for 24 hours, it will consume about 85
KWh, more than tripling average residential daily energy
consumption. The cost to run a central air conditioning unit for
24 hours will average $8.00 - $12.00 a day.
Keep air conditioning thermostats set
at 25° or higher. You will use 3 to 5 per cent more energy for each
degree your air conditioner is set below 24° C (75° F), so set
the thermostat at 25° C (77° F) to provide the most comfort at
the least cost. The less difference between the indoor and
outdoor temperatures, the lower your overall cooling bill will
be.
Don't set your thermostat at a colder
setting than normal when you first turn on your air conditioner.
It will not cool your home any faster and could result in
excessive cooling and unnecessary expense.
Don't place lamps or TV sets near your
thermostat. The thermostat senses heat from these appliances,
which can cause the air conditioner to run longer than necessary.
Turn off lights during the day and keep
blinds drawn so you can keep air conditioning use to a minimum.
This is especially important for windows or doors that get direct
sunlight.
Turn off air conditioning at night and
open windows.
If you use a ceiling fan or tabletop
fan
in conjunction with air conditioning the "wind chill" effect
means you can set your air conditioner higher to 26° or 27° C
(79° to 80° F) and still be comfortable. Every increase of 1.7° C
(2° F) on your thermostat can result in a reduction of 15% in air
conditioning energy use and can result in a significant savings
on your summer electric bill.
Ceiling fans cost about 1 cent for 2 hours
of operation. Make sure your fan is blowing air downwards in the
summer.
A portable fan costs about 1 cent per
hour.
Whole-house fans help cool your home by
pulling cool air through the house and exhausting warm air
through the attic. They are effective when operated at night and
when the outside air is cooler than the inside air.
Leave your furnace fan on continuously to
circulate cooler air from the basement up to other floors. Some
furnaces have a way of opening a duct to draw even more cooler
basement air into the system.
Plant trees or shrubs to shade air
conditioning units, but not to block the airflow. A unit
operating in the shade uses as much as 10% less electricity than
the same one operating in the sun.
Try to put your window air conditioner
in a window that faces north or is shaded. If you keep the air
conditioner out of direct sunlight its efficiency will improve;
an air conditioner that is exposed to direct sunlight will
consume 5% more energy than one that is shaded.
Consider closing off the dampers of
your basement ducts. This will send more cooled air upstairs. You can
reopen them in the fall to allow heated air to be sent into the
basement.
If you have a fireplace, keep the
damper tightly closed when not in use. A glass fire screen can help
minimize the loss of conditioned air.
Be sure you check your air conditioning
filter at least once a month and clean or replace if dirty.
For energy savings, set the fan switch on
a central air system or room air conditioner on "automatic"
instead of "on" or "continuous."
Keep doors and windows closed when the air
conditioning is on. Teach children to close doors when they go in
and out.
Use programmable thermostats
Turn off pilot lights on gas fireplaces
during the summer months
Cleaning the outside
unit of your air conditioner
The outside unit may become clogged with
leaves, grass clippings and other debris. If the outside unit is
located under or next to a dryer exhaust vent, the lint exhausted
may collect in and around the coils and cause the air conditioner
to run less efficiently and thus require cleaning more often.
To clean the outside unit, first ensure
that the power is turned off at the service panel. Then following
the manufacturer's instructions, gently clean out the debris that
has collected.
Use your electric meter as a diagnostic
tool. Monitoring your electricity consumption will help you
notice any unusual rise in consumption that may be caused by an
air conditioner or heat pump operating low on refrigerant.
