Every summer it’s the same story, a lot of heat and with it, the fear of turning on the air conditioner. And it’s not because it’s going to explode (we hope) but what does explode is our electricity bill once the temperatures rise, why does this happen? Well now we have the answer: your air unit is probably too old.
Appliances have evolved a lot, and old air conditioners can use up to four times more than a modern washing machine!
So of course, keeping this type of unit in use and not going bankrupt during the summer seems very complicated, especially now that electricity prices are higher and higher.
Why does this happen?
The explanation is, as always, in the technology. These units (which we call old for a reason) were probably manufactured more than 15 years ago… do you know how much the world has changed in 15 years?
Most likely these units don’t have inverter systems and run at maximum power all the time. If we compare, a new washing machine hardly uses 0.40 to 0.60 kWh per cycle, while an old air conditioner can reach 2.5 kWh in just one hour of use! And the bill keeps going up, of course.
Why do they consume so much?
We mentioned the inverter system before, this system regulates the air power according to the outside temperature, and that didn’t exist more than 10 years ago, those units always work at the same power even when it’s not necessary.
Air conditioner vs. Washing machine
Yes, the two appliances have nothing to do with each other, but it’s to give you perspective. Washing machines have become the most efficient appliance in all households, a full cycle is just a fraction of the consumption of an old air conditioner, so three hours of air conditioning could end up being several loads of laundry with hot water. Crazy, right.
The electricity bill
We don’t like to pay, nobody does, well with one of these you could be adding 300 kWh more per year, that’s quite a few dollars you could save just by changing the unit or modernizing it, even if at first it seems like a huge or unnecessary expense, think that in the long run you’ll end up spending more with each bill that comes, and even more in the summer months.
Can you save on air conditioning?
Of course! As we said, the best option is to move to A+++ units that have inverter technology, they will reduce consumption up to 40% and we are sure your wallet will thank you.
Also, experts recommend that you do basic maintenance tasks like cleaning filters, checking refrigerant gases and similar things!
Also, remember to set the air at logical temperatures, you are neither in the Sahara desert nor in Greenland, the ideal temperature so the bill doesn’t go through the roof is between 24ºC and 26ºC, plus you can take advantage of natural ventilation in the cooler hours of the day so you don’t have to use the unit so much.
Energy efficiency
We have to be aware that we are increasingly moving towards more efficient homes, and it’s not just for economic reasons, it’s because we are damaging the planet. So, changing your old unit will not only help you save on your electricity bill, but also eliminate the carbon footprint we are leaving on the world!