How does Air Conditioning affect my home electric bill?
In the heat of summer, it’s tempting to crank up the AC and sleep cool in your own home. It’s not easy to forget, though, that the cost of running an air conditioner adds up quickly, especially in terms of home electric bills. Air conditioning systems have a strong impact on the amount of electricity you use, and this will show up on your electric bill every month.
Is air conditioning bad for your electrical bills?
When the AC unit is running, it draws more power. The difference in power consumption is most visible during peak hours. Peak hours are typical during the summer when people use their air conditioners the most and thus, higher energy usage is expected.
But even during low-use periods, your monthly electricity bill can increase by an amount with a home air conditioning system. AC Units consume less electricity (kWh) when used keeping in view the time of usage and how much cooling is needed. In order to reduce the effects on your monthly bills, you can energy efficient units that consume minimal electricity. They also have variable speeds so that they only need to run at high speeds as necessary which results in fewer kilowatt hours being consumed per hour.
Running the air conditioner all the time causes high energy bill
The air conditioner is one of the biggest energy users in the home. It can account for as much as 50% of your total energy usage. So, if you’re running it all the time, you can expect your energy bills to be high. However, if you use a programmable thermostat (also called a smart thermostat) that can detect when no one’s home and switch off your AC automatically at those times, then you’ll see an immediate drop in the amount of energy used.
Outdated AC systems consume more power
If your AC system is more than 10 years old, it may consume three times as much power as a newer energy-efficient unit. Older units use less-efficient technology, such as cycling the compressor on and off instead of constantly running by monitoring room temperature like newer systems do. A new Air conditioning system works on DC inverter technology that uses 50% less electricity (less kWh) than regular ACs. The best way to make sure you are using an energy-efficient system is to ask for an Energy Star label from the EPA.
Choosing the right Temperature can Control Energy Bills
The air conditioner’s job is to remove heat from the indoor air and lower the temperature. But, did you know that the temperature you set your AC at can also affect your energy bills?
Several people believe that setting the air conditioner to 16 degrees will provide better cooling and lower the energy costs for their home, this may not be true. In fact, some experts recommend setting it a few degrees higher (room temperature of 26 degrees is best) than what feels snowy in order to save money on electricity costs. As a result, the bill will be lowered while more electricity will be conserved.
Skipping Maintenance results in high Electricity Consumption
Neglecting to get your AC system serviced every season can result in it using up to 15% more electricity than a well-maintained system. Not cleaning the air filters also leads to higher power consumption, as they have a harder time cooling off the house, which means that it will have to work harder and consume more energy. To keep your HVAC running at peak efficiency, you need to create and follow regular maintenance schedules.
In the end, a high electricity bill really depends on how often you use your air conditioner and what kind of unit you have. If you only use it for a few hours a day in hot months then your power usage will be lower than someone who uses their AC all day long every day.
