Energy efficient cooling and other aircon tips

DOES AN AIR CONDITIONER COST A LOT TO RUN?

The chief current-eaters in your home are items with heating elements: your geyser, stove, oven, heaters and tumble drier for example. Your fridge uses only a relatively little current, because it's powered by a motor, and motors aren't heavy current users. Air conditioners are simply larger versions of fridges, and thus don't use a great deal of current.

CAN AN AIR CONDITIONER ALSO PROVIDE HEAT?

Everyone knows that air conditioners cool air. But it might surprise you to know that most split air conditioners can also heat as well as cool. Because split air conditioners don't have elements they heat your home very economically.

HOW NOISY ARE THEY?

There are a wide range of air conditioners on the market and the entry level units will generally be the noisiest, but having said that, it is still at a low decibel level to standard specifications. The noise is created by the fan inside the unit, creating a reverberation sound, the more expensive the brand or unit, the quieter they get, and the more energy efficient also. 

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN INVERTOR AND A NON-INVERTOR UNIT?

Invertor Air Conditioners are generally more expensive and are more energy efficient to run.  The reason for this is that the motor will run constantly to retain the temp you require, whereas a non-invertor will switch the motor off once temp is reached and then back on again when the temp drops a certain level.

SOME TIPS TO HELP WITH EFFICIENCY

Set a comfortable temperature, between 17 - 22 degrees C.

Keep the doors and windows closed.

When cooling a room, draw the curtains or drop the blinds on the sunny side of the room, speeding up the cooling process.

When cooling adjust the vents to blow up and when heating adjust the vents downwards. (Hot air rises, cool air falls).

Schedule an annual service by qualified technicians.

Make sure the BTU size of the unit is the correct size for the room.