Air Conditioning Impact Energy Consumption
Air conditioning has gone from being a luxury item to an essential component of many people’s homes and offices. This cooling system uses a lot of energy, which leads to high electricity bills. The good news is that there are steps you can take to reduce your AC’s energy consumption.
The first step is to determine how much energy your AC consumes. The easiest way to do this is by looking at your energy bill, which will provide you with more information on the number of kilowatt-hours that your AC used over a period of time. You can convert this to a dollar amount by multiplying the number of kilowatt-hours by your local energy rate.
Next, you will want to look at your AC unit’s power rating and efficiency. A higher rated AC unit is typically more efficient than a lower rated one. In addition, you will want to consider whether your AC unit is single-speed or variable-speed. Single-speed AC units use full power the entire time they are running, while variable-speed AC units slow down their compressor and fan motors when less cooling is needed.
How Does Air Conditioning Impact Energy Consumption?
It is also important to note that your cooling efficiency will be affected by how well the air ducts are sealed and insulated. Duct leakage can sap 20 to 40% of the energy from even a well-operating air conditioner. This is a big reason that it is so important to have your air ducts professionally inspected and sealed on a regular basis.
Another factor that impacts energy consumption is the humidity level in the house. Humidity can increase the AC’s demand for electricity by as much as twofold. This is because water vapor will be released as the humidity rises, and it requires energy to cool.
Other factors that influence energy consumption include your house size, insulation, and the AC’s COP (coefficient of performance). In general, the electricity demands of air conditioning vary inversely with the square root of the sum of the cooling degree days, humidity, and the household size.
The IEA’s Efficient Cooling Scenario states that by increasing the average energy efficiency of ACs and making sure all new units meet stringent minimum energy performance standards, cooling energy requirements could be cut in half between now and 2050. This would save significant amounts of investment, fuel and operational costs.
Although the cost of operating an air conditioner can be high, there are several things you can do to reduce your energy usage and lower your energy bills. Keeping your air filters and coils clean can help, as can using fans instead of the AC in rooms where the temperature doesn’t need to be cooled. You can also decrease your AC’s energy consumption by insulating your ductwork, sealing air leaks and reducing the amount of heat-producing objects in your home. Lastly, you can reduce your electricity consumption by changing the setting on your thermostat a few degrees warmer when possible.