Javier Martínez Moronta - The Conversation
The recent change in the electricity bill has meant that our electricity consumption has changed in a short time.
However, during the summer we cannot do without being cool in the hottest times.
To try to adjust our consumption, and incidentally reduce the electricity bill, we provide you with some keys so that they can help you save, and not spend so much heat.
First, adjust the temperature
During the summer, temperatures well exceed 30 ℃.
This feeling of overwhelm and heat can cause us to reduce the cold temperature of our air conditioning too much.
It is better to avoid temperatures such as 21 ℃ or 22 ℃, looking better for an equilibrium temperature between 24 to 26 ℃.
Try to cool tight spaces
We don't need our entire house to be cold 24 hours a day.
We spend long periods in the same rooms and therefore we must try not to lose energy by cooling more space than necessary.
To do this,
try to close the doors, curtains or partitions between rooms
, so that the volume of air to be cooled is less.
This will reduce the operating time of your air conditioning equipment and promote efficiency.
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In case you have a single cold spot, try opening and closing the doors to set the air flow to the areas that interest you at all times.
Prioritize living spaces, since kitchens or bathrooms do not require air conditioning, given their use.
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Also, cold air can affect our health.
For this reason, remember to always have some type of footwear, even if they are flip-flops, and a suitable clothing for the temperature of our house.
In this way we can also better adjust the temperature of the home to our thermal sensation.
The location of the cold elements
In wall-mounted air conditioners, their location is determined by the distance to the outdoor machine.
If you already have them installed near windows or light entry spaces, try to protect them with curtains or blinds.
Also remember that
air conditioning equipment should be inspected at least once a year
to keep engines and filters in good clean and working order.
Air conditioning modules in an appliance store in Mumbai, India on May 22, 2012 Kuni Takahashi / Getty Images
In case you are thinking of installing them, a good location is above doors, or on walls that do not receive direct solar radiation.
In this way we protect the equipment from heat and it will function more effectively.
If you opt for portable equipment (fans with ice / water, penguins, etc.) try to find the best location, always remembering that these equipment require a duct to remove the hot air they produce, or a small drain.
Not all the time, not until the last moment
Another good recommendation is not to force our teams to work longer than necessary.
If you can program or time its operation, you will notice an improvement in consumption.
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We can also try to turn off the equipment between 20 and 30 minutes before leaving the room that we have air-conditioned.
In this way we take advantage of the residual cold, and adjust the temperature of our house a little with respect to the outside to which we are going.
This recommendation is equally valid for when we go to sleep.
It is recommended, if we have air in our bedroom, turn it on between 15 and 20 minutes before going to rest and turn it off before going to sleep.
Complement air conditioning with ventilation
Although the days are hot, dawn and nights usually give us a break.
That is why it is good to take advantage of this cooler moment and take advantage of them to ventilate and cool our rooms while we sleep.
You can also protect the windows with mosquito nets, or curtains, to allow the entry of air and the absence of insects (it will always be a cheaper solution than wasting energy).
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The milder temperatures in the morning allow the renewal of air, and the adjustment of the comfort temperature.
In this way, by free cooling the house we will not need so much air conditioning consumption, not for so long.
Balance with 'peak, valley and neutral' phases
In many cases, it will coincide that the moments of highest electricity consumption are the hottest.
In order to adjust our consumption, it is important to take into account that timed plugs and basic home automation help you better control the switching on and off of appliances.
However, for these hottest hours you can also count on solar protections, such as awnings, blinds, curtains ... and blinds.
These elements reduce the entry of heat from the outside and prevent the loss of cold air that is so difficult for us to achieve.
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In short,
there is no magic recipe to pay less on the bill when we use air conditioning
, but we can achieve a lot of savings by avoiding waste.
On average, leaving the air conditioning on at night can cost you between 2 and 3 euros per day.
By implementing these measures, you will see how you can reduce consumption on your bill and not have to spend such a hot summer.
Not because of the heat, not because of the cost.
