Many families have been surprised in recent days when they received their electricity bills, as they have increased compared to previous months, even though they have been using their electrical devices such as fans, air conditioners, microwaves, and refrigerators as usual. Mr. L.Q (living in Tan Phu District, Ho Chi Minh City) said, “Normally, my monthly electricity bill is about 1.2 million VND, but last month I received a bill of over 2 million VND, I was shocked.”
Ms. T.H (living in District 4, Ho Chi Minh City) complained: “Normally, my family uses about 1.4 to 1.5 million VND for electricity, but last month it increased to 2.1 million VND, and I was shocked when I saw the bill.” Ms. V.P (living in Binh Thanh District, Ho Chi Minh City) also mentioned that her family is out all day, and they are only at home in the evening and on weekends. Normally, their electricity bill is around 400,000 – 500,000 VND, but last month it was over 800,000 VND.
Ho Chi Minh City is currently in the rainy season, but the most common weather is still hot and sunny. To cool the air, many families use air conditioners. Some people even have the habit of using air conditioners all year round, but their electricity bills still increase during the hot season. So, how can we save electricity when using air conditioners in the hot season?
You should not set the temperature too cold, instead, maintain it from 25 – 29 degrees Celsius Photo: Dieu Mi |
Mr. Bui Minh Sang (technical support at Dien May Xanh) said that the hot and sunny weather is one of the factors that make air conditioners consume more electricity because they need a long time to cool down the room temperature. He provided 10 ways to effectively save electricity when using air conditioners during the hot season:
1. Do not set the temperature too cold at night
While sleeping, you do not need the temperature to be as cold as when you are awake. Therefore, to save electricity, you should adjust the air conditioner to a moderate temperature of about 25 – 29 degrees Celsius for 1 – 2 hours before going to bed, so that the air conditioner will have to work less and consume less power.
2. Use an air conditioner with an appropriate capacity for the room size
Choosing an air conditioner with a suitable capacity for the size (or volume) of the room will ensure the cooling capacity of the air conditioner and optimize the electricity consumption.
Therefore, when buying an air conditioner, you should go to reputable stores to receive thorough advice before making a purchase. This not only helps you save electricity but also keeps the air conditioner durable and stable.
Customers should note that if the room is small but they choose a large capacity air conditioner, it will consume more electricity. On the other hand, if the room is large but they use a small capacity air conditioner, it will take a long time to cool down the room and the compressor will run continuously, affecting the lifespan of the air conditioner and consuming a considerable amount of electricity.
Normally, for rooms under 15m2, you should choose a 1HP air conditioner, for rooms from 15 – 20m2, choose a 1.5HP air conditioner, for rooms from 20 – 30m2, choose a 2HP air conditioner, with the condition that the ceiling is not more than 3m high. If the ceiling is higher, you can calculate and choose the air conditioner based on the room volume.
“In the cool season, the air conditioner takes less time to cool down the room, so it operates at a lower frequency, saving electricity. In hot and sunny weather, the air conditioner has to work for a long time to cool down the room, and if the room is exposed to the sun, the heat will enter the room, causing the air conditioner to work more,” Sang shared.
3. Close the door when using the air conditioner
If you leave the door open while using the air conditioner, the cold air will escape, and the outside temperature will affect the room temperature. As a result, the air conditioner will have to work more and consume a lot of electricity.
You need to close the door when using the air conditioner Illustration photo: Shutterstock |
Therefore, you need to make sure that the room door is closed when the air conditioner is on, to increase the lifespan of the air conditioner and save monthly electricity costs for your family. In addition to closing the door, you can use fabric pieces to seal the gaps under the door to ensure that cold air does not escape too much.
4. Regularly clean the air conditioner at least every 3 months
If you only take good care of the air conditioner, it is not enough. To keep the air conditioner running optimally, you need to call a technician to clean the air conditioner. This can reduce the operating capacity of the air conditioner by up to 15%, saving a significant amount of electricity and extending the lifespan of the air conditioner.
The frequency of maintenance will depend on the environment and frequency of use throughout the year, but according to experts in refrigeration, you should have your air conditioner maintained every 3 – 4 months (depending on the frequency of regular use). In addition, you can also choose air conditioners with self-cleaning features, which allow you to save time and money on technician calls and ensure the health of your family.
According to Sang, how long you should clean the air conditioner depends on how frequently you use it and the amount of dust in the environment. The evaporator and condenser of the air conditioner work for heat dissipation, and dust can adhere to the fins. When there is a lot of dust, the air conditioner does not work well, which affects the compressor’s efficiency. Dust can also clog the air grille, reducing the amount of air blown out, clog the drainage channels, causing water leakage from the air conditioner.
5. Check the piping and protect the outside unit
Sometimes dust can get inside the pipes or the pipes may have leaks, which can also cause problems with the cooling system of the air conditioner and consume a lot of electricity.
In addition, when installing the outside unit, if possible, choose a shaded location that is protected from sunlight to reduce the heat load on the outside unit and speed up the cooling process. If you cannot find a cool location for installation, you can cover the outside unit with a thermal insulation sheet.
Experts recommend that the outside unit be installed 30cm away from the wall, as when it is installed too close to the wall, it will dissipate heat and affect the room temperature, causing the air conditioner to work at a higher capacity to cool down.
6. Rearrange furniture to ensure proper air circulation
Although air conditioners have air vents to direct cool air where needed, it is best to keep your furniture arranged neatly to avoid obstructing the airflow. This will make you feel cooler faster and consume less electricity.
7. Adjust the room temperature properly
A temperature range of 23 to 27 degrees Celsius is suitable for optimal operation of your air conditioner, as it does not consume too much electricity while still maintaining a moderate and comfortable temperature.
8. Avoid direct sunlight entering the room
Avoid heat exchange with the outside environment when using the air conditioner. Sunlight can increase the room temperature, causing the air conditioner to work more.
You need to adjust the temperature properly to save electricity Photo: S.D |
Keeping the room well sealed will prevent sunlight from shining into the room and raising the room temperature too high. You can use light-colored curtains to block out the sunlight and reduce heat absorption.
9. Do not turn off the air conditioner if you will be out for a short period of time
Turning the air conditioner on and off frequently will consume a significant amount of electricity for restarting and cooling the room from the beginning.
10. Use a fan in conjunction with the air conditioner
The fan will help circulate the cool air from the air conditioner in the room, which means you do not need to set the temperature too low, resulting in less power consumption. Additionally, the fan consumes less electricity than the air conditioner, so using both devices together will save a lot of energy.
These are the ways to save electricity when using air conditioners during the hot season. Try applying them in your home and see the results.
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