5 Simple Ways to Reduce Your AC Bill This Summer

Posted on: Mar 17, 2023 | 3 mins | Written by: HDFC ERGO Team

5 Simple Ways to Reduce Your AC Bill This Summer

As summers come, there are two daunting thoughts that come to mind. The first one is how to cope with high temperatures, and the second is the extremely high electricity bills due to air conditioners working nonstop. The AC bills are a cause of worry for many, but it is difficult to survive without them too. The issue is the monthly bills. These are high, and in most households today, there are more than one ACs, and they work for many hours as the scorching heat undoubtedly is unbearable.

The new models of ACs are energy efficient when compared to the older ones, but temperatures are also getting higher every year. In spite of being energy efficient, the usage is more than it used to be some years back. Also, post-pandemic, many people work from home, and thus, the cooling happens for longer hours. All this just leads to high electricity consumption every month.

Reducing expenditure on AC bills is good for the pocket, and reducing electricity consumption is good for the environment. Thus, if you work on one, the other will also automatically happen. Thus, let us focus on working towards lower bills.

Tips to reduce AC bills

1. Switch off when not in use.

This is common sense, if practised properly will cut down AC bills. When we say switch off when not in use, we do not mean to turn it off from the remote. The AC should be switched off from the main source. If left on, it is an ideal load and results in a waste of electricity. This is because the compressor is kept on so that it can immediately start when required.

Thus, when the cooling is not needed, the machine should be switched off from the main source. This works as AC insurance too, which means, this is good for the AC too and takes care of the machinery and its parts for a longer time.

Another way is to reduce timers at night ensuring that the AC switches off on its own when the room is cool. In this way, the cooling is not on for the whole night. This reduces usage and electricity consumption helping to keep the bills low.

2. Set the temperature to the ideal level

Many people think that the cooling will be better when the AC temperature is set to a lower temperature. This is a myth and a sure-shot way to increase AC bills. Twenty-four degrees is said to be the optimum temperature for the human body as per the BEE, i.e. the Bureau of Energy Efficiency. When the air conditioner is set at this temperature, the consumption of electricity will be less, thus decreasing the load when compared to the setting at a low temperature. Thus, setting the AC at the ideal level is a way to reduce electricity bills. This also keeps the machinery in good condition, and the chances of a claim under the property insurance policy reduce.

3. Sealing the windows

When the air conditioners are working, the doors should always be closed. But what many people tend to miss are the windows. The windows should be sealed so that the cool air of the room does not escape. Another simple thing is to have thick blinds or curtains so that there is no heat entering the room, reducing the efficiency of the AC and increasing the load. Heat and sun rays that enter the room make it difficult to cool and put more load on the AC. This, in turn, increases electricity consumption making leading to high electric bill.

4. Operate the AC and fan together

When the air conditioner is working, and the fan is also on, the air circulation is much better. This helps in cooling all corners of the room equally and reduces energy consumption. As the ventilation of the room improves with the fan, the load on the AC reduces, and this helps in saving energy. The ideal way to cool a room is to first switch on the fan for some time, as this will drive away the hot air from the room. When the air conditioning is switched on after some time, the cooling is faster and, of course, more effective.

5. Regular service

When you go to purchase a new AC, you for sure will be told that regular service is not needed and the maintenance is low. This is not entirely wrong, but the weather in India is such that air conditioning is not needed all around the year. The dust and pollution levels are high and all this settles in the machinery when they are not in use. This reduces efficiency. When you regularly service the AC, the efficiency is better as the machine is cleaned and works well. This reduces energy consumption, thus reducing bills.

In your home insurance policy , you have your air conditioners covered along with other electronic equipment. With regular service, the machines work in good condition, and the regular wear and tear are also less. If there is a claim, all these things go in favour making it easy.

Conclusion

You buy a home insurance policy or property insurance every year to ensure that there is no financial strain in case of any loss to the building or the contents. We also take regular annual maintenance contracts to ensure all equipment in the house works fine and does not cause trouble, and also lasts for many years. But with so many electronics in the house, the electricity bills are rising, and thus, it is necessary to work on reducing electricity bills.

This is not only to reduce expenses but also to reduce electricity consumption for the environment. Air conditioners in the summer are the appliances that use the maximum electricity, and thus, using the above-mentioned simple tips will help to reduce consumption and, of course, your AC bills. So follow them and do not forget your AC insurance to make sure any damage does not mean more expenses for you.

Disclaimer: The above information is for illustrative purpose only. For more details, please refer to policy wordings and prospectus before concluding the sales.

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