Must Know

The function of your AC and its direct relationship with your electricity bill

Very often the thought of an air conditioner raises the hair on our body with the mere thought of a rising electricity bill. Read on to sift between the myths and the facts…

Any added convenience raises costs. However, it is also true that any additional appliance, if used correctly, provides us with optimum output and the best possible all-around deals. As far as the air conditioner is concerned, the cost of consumption of electricity is dependent on how heavily the ac is used.

Let us explain with a concrete example - if you have a large area, say 2000 cubic feet, and an AC with a capacity of say 1 tonne, it definitely becomes inadequate to cool the entire area; this subsequently pressurises the compressor to work harder in order to meet the requisite need. As a thumb rule for computation, we know that generally, with a ceiling height of 9 ft., 1 tonne of air conditioning cools 100 sq ft or 1000 c. ft of area. Thus:
  1. if your AC has less than the required capacity or
  2. if doors or windows are left open or are used frequently, then the pressure on the compressor increases such that it has a direct effect on the consumption of your electricity.
Moreover, all ACs are equipped with thermostat controls and preset temperature controls. These conserve energy thereby consuming lesser electricity and still maintaining the controlled temperature in the room. The next important aspect to be borne in mind while using an AC is the temperature difference during the night and day. Bearing in mind the difference in outside temperature, one should ideally maintain a correlation by resetting your desired temperature and conserving the energy levels of your AC.

Some practical tips:
  • Use heavy drapes that keep out the heat during summer and thereby dramatically and naturally lower the temperature in the interiors.
  • Use lighting control devices like dimmers, motion detectors, occupancy sensors, photocells and timers to provide light only when you need it. This conserves electricity and increases the compressor life of your AC.
  • Place a plant indoors - it's the best cooling investment you can make.
  • Use floor or ceiling fans to help circulate air throughout the house, in addition to your air conditioner.
The key application and the conservation of your electricity costs lie in the right combination of all predisposed factors that will surely give u a sound system functioning!!

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