Summer 2018
How to Stop the Electricity Bill Shock over Summer
According to some reports it now costs Australians over $1.3bn to cool their homes each summer. Considering that a lot of Australians have to cool their homes only over the summer months this is a very high amount. Making the situation even worse, nearly 25% of people leave their air conditioner (usually a split system air conditioner) on while they are not even at home.
So just how expensive is it to run a split system air conditioner?
A split system air conditioner uses approximately 5.0kWh, which means that it costs around 2.7 cents per minute. When the cost is broken down per minute it does not seem that high. However, it equates to $1.62 per hour.
Assuming you use your split system air conditioner 10 hours a day this means it is costing you $16.20 a day. Over a period of 7 days this is $113.40. So when a quarterly electricity bill arrives it is no surprise that so many people are now getting 'electricity bill shock'.
What can you do to avoid electricity bill shock?
There are plenty of things you can do to keep the amount you spend on keeping your home cool (even on very hot days). Some of them include:
- Set the air conditioner to 25 degrees
- Keeps blinds and curtains closed during hot sunny days
- Open the house up at night when the temperature outside drops
- Turn off your air conditioner when you are not at home
- If you decide to buy a split system air conditioner, get one with the highest energy rating
- Consider installing an evaporative cooling system which is a lot more energy efficient when compared to a split system air conditioner
So how much cheaper is it to run an evaporative cooler?
It is cheaper to purchase, install and operate an evaporative cooling system when compared to an equivalent split system air conditioner. In fact, it is estimated that it is up to 50% cheaper to install an evaporative cooler and 7 times cheaper to run.Â
Of course, you still need to make sure the evaporative cooler you install has a high energy rating. This will minimise your running costs as much as possible. It is a worthwhile investment even if the evaporative cooler is a bit more expensive than one with a lower rating.
As with all forms of air conditioning you should also make sure you turn off your evaporative cooler when you are not at home.
Find out more about all the evaporative cooling services and split system air conditioning we provide.
Some of the more popular brands of evaporative coolers and split system air conditioners that we install, service and maintain include:
Our technical specialists, who are based in Melbourne can provide you with all the advice you need so that you get the evaporative cooling system or split system air conditioner that best suits your home and lifestyle at a competitive price.
Contact Matt today for a quote by phoning 0484 044 651 or email info@hrheatingandcooling.com.au to find out how we can help you with all air conditioning repairs, maintenance and installation needs.