Power Saving Tips for Airconditioners.
A well-known maxim : maintaining an A.C is more difficult than buying one.
True to certain extent. Competition and entry of world renowned players in the A.C industry has brought down the prices of the air-conditioner to the level of a Television or an audio system. But the general fear about the recurring power bills causes many families to shy away from buying one and thus denying oneself of a fundamental desire - comfort. Presented here are some tips which would ensure that your power bills remain under control.
1. Design the system optimally:
a. Lower than required tonnage shall stress the compressor and cause it to age faster.
b. Higher than required tonnage shall cause the compressor to cut-off more often - something that affects its health adversely apart from consuming more power.
2. Insulate an exposed roof with appropriate insulation - glass-wool/ thermocole etc.- Tonnage reduces by app. 25% The initial cost (Rs 25-40 per sq.ft) more than compensates the additional power bill you would have to shell out otherwise.
3. Cover the West/ East facing Windows with heavy drapery or blinds. Maximum heat gain in a room occurs from West facing glass.
4. If possible install awnings outside windows to prevent sunlight from falling directly on the glass.
5. Seal the room adequately. Crevices under doors, poorly fitted windows, aluminium sliding windows and ventilators provide ample scope for air leakage. Cool air can escape through these or outside air can creep in, causing the A.C to work harder to maintain the desired room conditions. Use foam or rubber to seal these leakage points.
6. Buy a brand of A.C that gives you an accurate thermostat. This will not only save you power, it will also give you stable and comfortable room conditions so that you won’t find yourself shivering in the middle of the night.
7. Maintain your A.C well:
a. Clean the filters regularly. Most A.Cs now come with a removable filter and thus cleaning it fortnightly would prevent the cooling coil from choking. This small activity would reward you with lower power consumption as well as consistent cooling performance.
b. Quarterly preventive maintenance service is an absolute must. Ensure that the A.C is serviced thoroughly on a quarterly basis. The A.C technicians blow off and clean the dirt off the condensor coil ,lubricate the other parts and carry out other preventive maintenance activities to ensure smooth functioning of your A.C and thus slower aging, consistent performance and lower power consumption. Quarterly preventive maintenance is almost always a part of the standard warranty/ maintenance contracts.
c. A comprehensive preventive maintenance contract with a reputed service franchisee (preferably of the manufacturer) is a very small price to pay for hassles and costs you would have to undergo otherwise.
8. Do not load your A.C suddenly. If you expect a gathering in the evening, it is prudent to switch on the A.C a good half an hour before the guests arrive. This way the room will be cooled down when the guests arrive and the A.C will not see a sudden surge in the load. Remember that half an hour of pre-cooling will not increase the consumption as much as without it. Because your A.C would have drawn much more power to offset the sudden load thrust upon it.
9. Finally - treat the machine with respect. Frequent tampering with controls, settings, irregular maintenance and imbalanced load conditions can do more harm to the machine and your power bills than anything else.
