Advice and News •
It’s the million dollar question that everyone wants to know when buying a new air conditioner, especially in the face of rising energy bills. This seemingly simple question is a little bit more complex to answer however, since there are many different variables which determine your split system air conditioner running costs. The most influential factors are:
• Size (capacity) of the Unit in kW.
• If the unit is an inverter unit
• What temperature the unit is set to
• What energy tariff your air conditioner is connected to
• Length of time the system is operating for
It’s important to remember that purchasing an air conditioner with a smaller capacity will not necessarily save money if the area to be cooled is too large in comparison to the output of the unit. This will force the unit to operate at full capacity which puts pressure on the system. A unit with an insufficient output for the area also may not effectively cool the home.
Split System Running Costs Calculations
These are based on a standard residential energy tariff in Brisbane with the air conditioner used over a three month period/12 week period. (84 days of the year) at 24 degrees
1. A 2.5 kW system running for 4 hours a day would costs approx. $40.11 per year to run or 47.75 cents a day or 11.9c per hour.
2. A 3.5 kW system running for 8 hours a day for 12 weeks (84 days) of the year at 24 degrees will cost appox. $134.16 a year or $1.59 per day to run.
3. A 3.5 kW system running for 4 hours a day at 24 degrees will cost approx. $67.08 to run, or 79c per day to run
4. A 5.0kW system running for four hours a day at 24 degrees will costs $104.43 per year to run or $1.24 per day to run
5. A 5.0kW system running for 5 hours a day at 24 degrees will cost $130.33 per year to run or $1.55 per day
Other things to remember:
– If air conditioner users set temperatures below the recommended 24 degrees, they will add 5-10 per cent running costs to their air conditioner per hour/day/year.
– Inverter systems will reduce running costs as once the temperature has been reached as they use less power to maintain the temperature.
– Connecting to an economy tariff (tariff 33) can save running costs up to 30 per cent in peak periods.
– The insulation, floor plan and number and size of windows can also impact how your air conditioner running costs.
Please note: All calculations are based on Ergon Energy’s Air Conditioner Cost Calculator and are guidelines only. Use the link above to calculate your own costs based on the size of your system and your usage habits to get a clearer picture of how much your AC system costs to operate.
At H&H Air Conditioning our Brisbane air conditioning specialists make a point to let you know the best system for your home, your budget and your requirements. Contact us today about a new energy efficient system to keep you cool this summer. Phone (07) 3276 1800 for our Brisbane office or (07) 5477 1777 for our Sunshine Coast team.