Get your AC to cool better and consume less electricity with these 12 expert tips

The climate change is making the world a hotter place day by day. This year’s summer is no exception. The temperatures have started crossing 40 degrees Celsius already. Obviously, the most of us rely on air conditioners to give some respite from the heat. However, air conditioners consume a lot of electricity and their ability to cool fluctuates. Here are some DIY tips to make your AC more efficient to get the best cooling performance out of your air conditioner, while saving a lot of electricity. These can be carried out by anyone and do not require the help of professionals, which can be very expensive in peak summers.

1. Cleaning the outdoor unit – With dusty conditions prevailing all around, its worthwhile to occasionally clean the cooling fins of the outdoor unit with low pressure water to remove the dust build up. The dust acts as a heat insulator and reduces the heat exchanging capacity of the condenser. Take care to not spill water onto the electrical parts and also ensure not to mechanically damage the cooling fins. Carry out this activity only after disconnecting the unit from the mains.

2. Cleaning the indoor unit – Use an AC cleaning spray to get rid of the dust accumulated in the cooling fins of the indoor unit. Do not use water to clean the indoor unit. Also remove the dust filters and give them a through wash under running water, use an old toothbrush if there is some stubborn dust sticking to the filters.

3. Let the outdoor unit breathe – Ensure that your outdoor unit is located in a well-ventilated place. It has a lot of heat to dissipate and if it has nowhere to release that heat, its cooling efficiency will be severely compromised.

4. Set the optimum temperature – It has been found that a temperature setting between 22° C and 24° C is the most optimum setting for feeling comfortable in the long run. Do not keep the temperature setting below 22°C.

5. Do not turn the AC on & off frequently – The air conditioner is not a fan that you can turn on & off as you go in & out of your room. ACs take time to stabilize and frequent turning cycling and puts load on them. The thumb rule is that do not turn off your AC if you are going to be back in your room within an hour.

6. Precool the room – This is a revolutionary thought but it holds weight. During peak summer days, if you let your AC run continuously for 24 hrs. a day, it will cool down everything in the room right from your beds, cupboards, walls and pretty much everything to the desired temperature. This might take about 12 hours of intense power consumption. Once this is achieved, all that the AC is required to do now is to just maintain the temperature, which takes very less power. When you turn off the AC and turn it back on, say after a few hours, it has to not only cool you, but also everything else in the room all over again, thus consuming a lot of power.

7. Use a ceiling fan – Alongside an AC, use a ceiling fan at low speed. This helps in spreading the cold air to every corner of the room, cooling it uniformly and reducing the load on the AC.

8. Use Curtains to block the sun – If there is sunlight shining through the glass windows of the room, it is definitely going to cook things up due to radiation heating. Best to keep the sunlight out using heavy curtains.

9. Check for air leaks – If any windows or doors are not sealing properly, get them fixed immediately because the cold air may escape through them, thus lowering the cooling effectiveness of the AC.

10. Use a door closer – It is a good idea to install a door closer on the main door of the room where an AC is installed. That way, it will prevent the door from being left open accidentally.

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11. Avoid using hot appliances – Avoid using hot appliances in an air conditioned room. Appliances like toasters, refrigerators, ovens etc. should be avoided as they generate a lot of residual heat.

12. Limit electronic devices – All electronic devices do produce some heat. Do not leave televisions or computers running all the time unnecessarily. Use them only as and when required and turn them off after use whenever possible.

Listed above are some of the simplest tips to get the best cooling performance out of your AC while keeping a check on your electricity bills.

Have a cool summer and enjoy a trouble free cooling from your air conditioner!!