Air conditioners are a must in order to keep cool and comfortable in a hot climate. Read the articles below and get advice on purchasing an air conditioning system, tips on repairing an AC unit, guidelines to understanding central air conditioning, and what low cost cooling alternatives can help save you money.
Hints and Tips
Energy saving tips to get the most out of your air conditioner
•Shut windows and external doors when operating the air conditioner
•Minimise the area being cooled or heated by shutting doors to unused rooms
•Regularly clean filters
•Locate the external section of the air conditioner (compressor) away from direct sunlight, and with good air flow around it
•Set the thermostat between 24 and 27°C
•Reduce the amount of heat entering the building by shading windows and walls, insulating ceilings and walls and sealing draughts
•Open up windows and external doors if the outside temperature is lower than the inside temperature, instead of using the air conditioner.
When selecting an air conditioner, look for:
•Programmable timer and thermostat controls. Set your air conditioner at the highest temperature setting at which you still feel cool enough, 25ºC is usually adequate. Each 1°C increase of the thermostat setting will save about 10% on your energy usage
•Movement sensors, which reduce power and energy usage when the room is unoccupied
•’Set-back’ and ‘sleep’ modes that automatically adjust thermostat settings
•Economy settings
•Multi-speed fans
•Adjustable and rotating louvres
•Remote thermostats and controls
•Inverter technology.
Saving Energy when using air conditioners
There are some simple things you can do to save energy when using an air conditioner:
•Install the air conditioner (or outdoor unit of a split system) on the shady side of the building (or shade the air conditioner itself); make sure the air flow around it isn’t obstructed.
•The temperature of a heated room in winter should be between 18-21°C while the temperature of a cooled room in summer should be about 23-26°C (remember the humidity indoors will be low, so it will feel cooler). The temperature should be checked after the air conditioner has been operating for 30 minutes.
•When a hot day is expected, turn on the air conditioner early rather than wait till the building becomes hot (it operates more efficiently when the outside air temperature is cooler).
•Keep windows and doors closed when using a refrigerative air conditioners (evaporative air conditioners require some air flow). Close curtains on hot summer days and cold winter nights. Outdoor shading of windows in summer is most effective.
•If the machine has adjustable louvres, adjust them towards the ceiling when cooling, and towards the floor when heating (as cool air falls, hot air rises).
•Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for filter cleaning.