It’s true: air conditioners are a must-have in almost every home here in Singapore. With temperatures hitting record highs not so long ago, turning on the aircon feels more like a need than want━but with this respite comes increased electrical bills.
Though we can’t help you finance your utilities, what we can do is share aircon hacks to help you save on your utilities bill, so you can stay cool with less pain on your wallet.
1. Seal gaps & cracks around windows & doors
AI-generated image for illustrative purposes only.
Image credit: DALL-E
We’ve all felt that blast of heat in our faces when we open the door to exit an air-conditioned room. The law of thermodynamics is such that heat travels from a hotter to colder area━as such, that same heat that hits your face is constantly seeking a way into your cooled room. This raises the temperature in the room, which in turn puts pressure on your aircon to cool it down again, thereby raising energy consumption.
Stop that heat from creeping into your room by sealing the gaps and cracks around windows and doors: use weatherstripping under the doors, and caulking around the windows. Not only will your aircon work less hard, your electricity bill will too.
2. Install curtains, blinds or window film
Image credit: The Smart Local
Another way to block heat from entering the room is through closing the curtains, or drawing the blinds during the day when your air conditioning is on. Alternatively, installing heat-blocking solar films can help to reduce up to 78% of the heat that enters the room, thereby decreasing the strain on your aircon to keep the room cool. Read: energy savings.
These savings have, in fact, been proven in a study conducted by the College of Civil Engineering in China in office buildings.
3. Set the aircon at 25°C
Instead of setting your aircon at 22°C, consider going for 25°C, which in fact isn’t all that warm. Even if you don’t use the Auto mode on your aircon, you’re looking to save something like 34% on electricity each year just by increasing the thermostat from 22°C to 25°C, according to a test by the Singapore Berkeley Building Efficiency and Sustainability in the Tropics research programme.
TL;DR: the lower your aircon temperature, the more you spend on energy.
4. Using the right mode & setting programmed usage
Using the aircon’s Auto mode isn’t the only way to make your air conditioner more energy efficient. Newer aircons have various modes which you can use for different times of the day. For example, the Samsung WindFree aircon has a Good Sleep mode that reduces electricity consumption by analysing usage patterns to adjust the AC settings through the night, creating a comfortable sleeping environment for your night of sleep.
Otherwise, programme your aircon for specific times, such as to turn the AC off 30 minutes before you wake up, which according to NEA nets you savings of approximately $30 annually. Use the Samsung SmartThings app to help you do this, or to set the AC for an hour’s usage just to cool down the room. Switching to a fan after that could potentially help you save $386 on electrical bills in a year.
For comfort without crazy bills, consider also using the Dry mode on your AC, which reduces the humidity levels in a room that’s already at a nicely cool temperature.
5. Position the AC away from windows & doors
We’ve shared about how heat from the environment can put strain on your aircon, leading to greater energy consumption. Another way to help the situation is to position the aircon further away from doors and windows, which let in heat.
In particular, mount your AC where it’s not directly exposed to sunlight, especially if you’re turning it on during the day. The direct heat forces your aircon to work harder to cool things down, which uses more electricity and in the long run damages the appliance.
6. Avoid arranging other heat-producing appliances directly under the aircon
Similarly, heat-producing appliances such as computers, TV and fridges can mess with the internal thermostat of your aircon, tricking it into thinking the room is warmer than it is. Position these at a distance from the AC, and especially don’t have them beneath the unit if possible.
On that note, ensure that the furniture doesn’t obstruct the flow of cool air in the room too.
7. Getting your units regularly cleaned
Image credit: Samsung
We often assume that as long as our air conditioners are blasting cool air, they’re working fine. Little do we know that as dust and dirt accumulates in the machine’s air vents and filters, the AC has to work even harder to hit the sub-25°C temperatures we are expecting.
Clean your AC’s filters at least once a month━more often if you’ve got pets or there’s been a lot of dust━to avoid having to overwork your aircon, and in turn be slapped with higher electrical bills. Get a technician to come in at least once every 2 years for a deep clean as well to keep your unit at its best.
8. Get an AC that’s the right size for your room
Don’t let this point be an afterthought: before you even get into optimising your room or house for the air conditioner to do its job efficiently, you have to pick the right AC for the task. This means choosing an AC of the right size━approximately 6,000 BTUs for small rooms, and 9,000 BTUs for larger rooms.
Bigger ain’t better in the case of aircons, because if your unit is too powerful, the room will feel clammy from the temperature dropping before humidity levels do. Conversely, an underpowered AC will rack up the utilities bills, since your unit has to work even harder.
9. Choose an aircon with 5 ticks
Perhaps the easiest and most achievable of the aircon hacks on this list is simply to choose an aircon that comes with 5 ticks on the Energy Label. It might cost more on the outset, but the approximately $303 per annum savings will add up to so much more, as compared to a 2-tick air conditioning unit.
Whether you’re about to embark on a new home journey and are looking for an air conditioner, or about to upgrade the ones in your current space, Samsung’s new WindFree air conditioners are an option you definitely should keep in mind━and they all come with an energy efficient rating of 5 ticks.
And if you use the AI Energy mode, which analyses usage patterns and room conditions, you can reduce energy consumption by up to 28%, according to Samsung.
Not only do these ACs come packed with energy-efficient modes to help you save on your bills, their namesake WindFree feature means that you’ll be enjoying all of the respite, without having to suffer through those blasted drafts of cold air, and the consequent noise.
It’s all about your AC adapting to you and your lifestyle, with Samsung’s copper-coated filter removing up to 99% of viruses, bacteria, allergens, and dust as small as PM2.5, as well as intelligent technology ensuring you’ll be comfortable throughout the day and night.
For example, when you turn on the Samsung WindFree aircon’s AI Auto Cooling mode, it automatically adjusts the temperature according to the level of activity and number of people in the room with its Motion Detect Sensor, as well as ambient temperature, humidity, and usage patterns.
That’s not all: Samsung Electronics’ pursuit of sustainability and net zero carbon emissions has translated to reduced carbon emissions and greater energy efficiency across their products. Their new WindFree aircons also utilise environmentally friendly R32 refrigerants, which are non-toxic, easy to recycle, and have zero Ozone Depletion Potential━that is, it doesn’t make a bigger hole in our ozone layer. You’re no longer just saving dollars on this AC, you’re also playing a small but consequential role in saving the earth too.
Find out more about the new Samsung WindFree aircon here
Photos by Huiwen Chan.
This post was brought to you by Samsung.
For full details, visit https://www.samsung.com/sg/air-conditioners/windfree/
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