Make your air conditioner work for your budget this summer

Trying to survive a Brisbane summer on a budget can be a real challenge, especially if you’re reliant on your air conditioner to get you through the Christmas heatwave. When the temperature soars, you need relief from the heat, but at what cost? Making your air conditioner work for you this summer isn’t simply taking the controls and turning it on. You can be smart about your usage without sweltering in the heat, and without the shock of a record high electricity bill. How? Let us help.

Step 1: Turn up the heat

Okay, so that doesn’t make sense at first glance. You don’t have to turn your inhouse desert into the new Antarctica. By turning the air conditioner unit up a couple of degrees, while remaining cool, will reduce the pressure on your system to perform, and still provide the relief you need to survive the summer. Keeping the indoor temperature at 25 degrees Celsius is cost effective and still nice and cool compared to the outside temperature – for every degree below 25, there is a possibility of an additional 10% to your final electricity bill.

Step 2: Close the doors

Unless you live in a house without doors, close off every room that’s not in use. If you’re trying to cool a larger area, your air conditioning unit will have to work harder and longer to adequately cool the space. By minimising the area and even removing certain rooms entirely, less electricity will be used leading to more dollars in your pocket. Remember to keep the air conditioned room open, as the air conditioner will recycle the already cooled air, leading to a more efficient experience.

Step 3: Turn on the fans

If you happen to have ceiling fans throughout your home, the air conditioner should be your last call for comfort. Even if left on all day, a ceiling fan burns far less energy than an air conditioning unit – you can save up to 60% in energy output, cool your rooms and get a good night’s sleep without resorting to using the energy hungry air conditioner.

Step 4: Do you have a maintenance plan?

Like any high demand appliance, air conditioners need to be maintained. Filters need to be checked and changed, and you should do a once over for your entire machine every couple of months to ensure every component is fighting fit for the warmer months. Even if nothing is wrong, a neglected machine can be inefficient and prone to irregular cooling, burning a hole in your pocket while struggling to fight off the summer heat.

A regular yearly maintenance service will keep your unit in working order 365 days a year, transforming those little increased in cost into something affordable. Contact Quality Air today for all your air conditioner related needs.