Purchasing and Maintaining Energy Efficient Air Conditioning

Everyone wants to save money on energy, especially in today’s challenging economy. At the same time during the hot summer months it is difficult to be productive when temperatures run high. Air conditioning, while often seen as a luxury, is in fact often quite literally a necessity. During times when energy is unavailable in hot big cities like New York City, or naturally hot environments like Arizona, not having access to Air Conditioning is actually life threatening.

While air conditioners are generally one of the more expensive appliances there are ways to save money. Several approaches to saving money can be taken. Considering when an air conditioner truly needs to be used is one way to save. Other ways include buying energy efficient air conditioners, or examining where they are operated. There are several considerations when trying to save money on the cost of operating air conditioning.

Air Conditioner Terms

One part of saving money while operating air conditioners is to familiarize one’s self with the terms of air conditioner technology. The following are key terms involved in air conditioners, and air conditioner energy savings.

  • BTU – BTU stands for British Thermal Unit. A BTU is the amount of heat it takes to raise a pound of water’s temperature by one degree. This measurement can be used to describe raising or lowering temperatures.
  • Thermal Watt – The thermal Watt is a separate thermal energy unit named for James Watt.
  • SEER Value – SEER, or Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ration, is a measure of the efficiency of an air conditioner. The higher this value is the less energy it uses.
  • Energy Star – Energy Star is a government program to promote energy efficiency in appliances. Products with an EnergyStar logo have been evaluated to meet minimum energy efficiency levels by the government.

Ways to Save

A simple way to save on air conditioner costs is to only run it when you need it. Don’t leave the air conditioner on when you’re not home. If it’s cooler at night don’t run the air conditioner, or consider a lower setting. If most rooms in the house are not being used try to only use air-conditioning in the rooms that are being used (obviously this applies more to central air conditioners, or portable air conditioners). There are timers available on many air conditioners that allow for them to automatically stop running. This is great if you would like air-conditioning when you go to sleep but don’t want to wake up frozen.

Buying an Energy Efficient Model

In general before purchasing an air conditioner one should evaluate the insulation of the rooms they intend to operate the air conditioner in. It is very easy for cooled air to escape in poorly insulated homes, and just as easy for this to lead to inefficiency and high usage costs. For the same reason window air conditioners are the least efficient type of air conditioner. Window air conditioners rarely seal well into windows, and this allows a fair amount of cooled air to escape. 

In either situation it is useful to look at the model’s SEER value if one is buying a new model. It’s hard to gauge for a non-professional what wattage, or BTU value will impact daily or seasonal operating costs. Energy Star indicates that a model is designed to be efficient but it is only a minimum, it doesn’t necessarily indicate a model is the most efficient. The SEER value on the other hand is really easy to follow; the higher the better!

When placing an air conditioner in a home it’s best to make sure the room is insulated, and not frequently exposed to open doors. When placing an air conditioning unit outside it shouldn’t be placed in areas of long sunlight. As important as placement is maintenance. Even the most efficient air-conditioners can quickly become expensive if they are not regularly and properly maintained. Filters should be changed regularly, and it’s not a bad idea to at least once per season have a professional clean, and check an air conditioner.

The following resources contain more information for selecting the correct air conditioner for your region. It’s important to check out seasonal energy grid activity when choosing the right air conditioning requirements for your region. Also looking in depth at the energy star standards for air conditioners can help you better select an appropriate model. While everyone likes to save on appliances it’s critical to keep in mind that there’s a lot more than the price tag when it comes to the cost of an air conditioner; choosing an appropriate and energy efficient model could save hundreds in energy bills, and well beyond the cost of the model itself.