Summer is officially here! Temperatures are beginning to rise again, and if that wasn’t enough to make you hot-headed, just wait until you get your electricity bill. By turning on the air conditioners and electric fans to cool ourselves down, our energy bills usually soar during this season.
But don’t let that get you all heated up. There are ways to tame your energy consumption this summer. Here’s our list of energy-consuming hotspots to look out for:
1. Air conditioning.
If you already have an air conditioner, make sure it is installed in a shady spot. If not, you could either relocate it or find a way to shade its current location. Air conditioners that are under direct sunlight use 10% more electricity than air conditioners that are placed in the shade.
Keep hot things away from the air conditioner inside the house too. Lamps, televisions, and stoves that are placed near the air conditioner fool the thermostat into thinking the room is hotter than it really is, so your air conditioner works at full capacity longer than it really should.
Keep your aircon filters unclogged by cleaning or replacing them regularly. Dirty filters will prevent your air conditioner from properly cooling your room, so you’ll just be wasting electricity.
If you are just about to purchase an air conditioner, consider getting one that uses inverter technology. Inverter-type air conditioners use up to 50% less electricity than conventional air conditioning units.
Make sure to get the right-sized air conditioner for your room. A too-small air conditioner will not be able to cool a room efficiently. A too-big air conditioner will use up too much electricity. Refer to the list below to find the right size of air conditioner for your room:ADVERTISEMENT - CONTINUE READING BELOW
