Anyone with tips on saving money when using air con?
 

For the first time ever we are living in a house with air conditioning. Previously only had ceiling fans and this was adequate as we lived close to the beach in NSW so benefited from the ocean breezes.

The 4x2 rented house we are currently in here in WA has an LG ducted reverse cycle air con system - 12.3w cooling and 14.1w heating.

It's been a godsend these past few weeks when temperatures have been in the low to high 30s for days and days on end. The highest was 42C a few Saturdays ago.

I know this type of system is expensive to run so only use the air con during the day and evening, on low fan speed and on a temp of 26C, only in the rooms we need ie living, kitchen/dining, study and 2 bedrooms and the keep the blinds down all the time in the rooms we don't use.

And shut the doors of the rooms we don't use when a/c is on.

Our last electricity bill for 12/10/11-8/12/11 ie 58 days was $167.25.
The latest bill for 9/12/11-10/2/12 - ie 64 days is a whopping $392.15.:frown:

I knew it was going to be high this time but not this much. I've checked the meter for usuage but seems correct.

So if anyone has any tips on how we can save on the electricity but still use the air con on very hot days I would be eternally grateful.

For example is it better to leave the air con on all day on say 25-26C rather than turn it off and on as needed during the day ?

I have a horrible feeling we are going to have to lump it and accept the high cost or put up with this infernal heat.

As I write this from the study I have the air con off - as only 29C today - and have the windows open in the hope of a breeze. None forthcoming so sweating profusely. Where's that famous Fremantle Doctor when you need it ???

Re: Anyone with tips on saving money when using air con?
 

Kips,
Get a few Pedestal fans, $20 at the hardware shop (bu****ings). use them up to 30 degrees, they use about 40 watts, after that its blinds closed and 26 degrees on the split system air con. I used to drape a small wet hand towel over the fan to gain the moisture that is absent in Melbourne Heat, it helped a bit. but not a lot.. :cool:

Re: Anyone with tips on saving money when using air con?
 

Tips: Use one room, Set the fixed number of hours, Have it serviced every 6 months, Avoid any heated items like ironing, PC, etc, also use the right type of aircon must match the right size room. This will cool your bill. :nod: Notice Higher temperature, More expensive or vice versa.

Re: Anyone with tips on saving money when using air con?
 

Thanks for your advice. As you rightly point out pedestal fans are useless after 30C but I like the wet towel idea.

Re: Anyone with tips on saving money when using air con?
 

Would love a bill less than $900!

Re: Anyone with tips on saving money when using air con?
 

What ? Why so high ?

Re: Anyone with tips on saving money when using air con?
 

Seems ok to me. Leccie is expensive here

Re: Anyone with tips on saving money when using air con?
 

Perth has an average low of 18.1C in February. Now i havent lived there but is it just a dumb suggestion to keep the windows open during night to cool the house down? then use the cool air to survive hot daytime.

Re: Anyone with tips on saving money when using air con?
 

$392 for two months in summer doesn't seem like whopping to me. Of course the bill is going to be higher than in a period when you don't use it. If you don't want to pay the bill, don't switch it on.

Re: Anyone with tips on saving money when using air con?
 

I'm in Sydney and last bill was $1300 for the quarter!! This summer no need for a/c during the day but it is on every night, all night in 4 rooms.

Re: Anyone with tips on saving money when using air con?
 

Pool, spa, tumble drier and a/c would be the biggest culprits I guess.

Re: Anyone with tips on saving money when using air con?
 

:eek:

Re: Anyone with tips on saving money when using air con?
 

I agree. Mine averages out at about $450 in summer and we have a big house.

Re: Anyone with tips on saving money when using air con?
 

Ceiling fans are very popular in the US. Not only do they cool the room...when operated in reverse they also push the cooled air conditioned air downwards...which saves on the bills.

Re: Anyone with tips on saving money when using air con?
 

OK, a few suggestions:

• With a reverse cycle, make sure you don't have any windows open - kind of obvious, but...
• Air con only makes a difference to the air temp which has low heat capacity. If you have hot surfaces these will rapidly raise the temperature again. So no blocks of stone in the sunshine getting hot (that goes for tiles too).
• Single glazing windows are really naff and let heat in fast. Look to both internal blinds and external shutters.
• Both walls and windows suffer from the effect of direct sunlight - raising the temp of those walls at least 8C over the air temp. That heat then makes its way through whatever insulation you may have, heating the air and keeping it hot. Shading on the walls will REALLY help keep the bills down.
• If the roof is black tile and you have no insulation in the roofspace, you'll get the same heat battery effect as above. Putting real insulation in, and potentially a fan to extract the hot air helps.
• A reverse cycle is a heat pump; taking the heat from inside and pumping it outside. Therefore look at where your external bit is and how hot its getting - you want it to easily dump the heat, so keep it in the shade and allow the fan to push the air through it.
• If you have a two storey house, then venting the air from the top of the stairs helps to stop the top level turning into an oven.