Air conditioners are often considered to be major energy guzzlers and cost drivers. An expert reveals that this does not have to be the case. Often, the costs are miscalculated.
Air conditioners, especially portable units, are often seen as major energy consumers. This is because it takes energy to expel warm air outside and to cool down the temperature in the room itself.
Carlos Llull, an experienced HVAC technician, explained that many people grossly overestimate the energy consumption of air conditioners.
In a post on his Instagram account that went viral, he noted that “running the air conditioner at night for eight hours can incur about one euro in electricity costs”.
Calculations often assume maximum consumption, not optimum
But what is the reason for this? This is because the rated output is often many times higher. The solution lies in the calculation of electricity costs: Many assume the maximum output of the air conditioner and multiply that by the energy consumption. Unsurprisingly, this results in a high usage figure.
However, modern air conditioners no longer operate on the simple on-off principle but can self-regulate: When starting, it runs at high power to reach the desired temperature, but as soon as this temperature is reached, it adjusts its output and drastically reduces speed to merely maintain the room temperature.
Especially at night, when the outside temperatures drop eventually, the air conditioner has to work less and requires only a fraction of its output, thereby incurring little energy costs.
When do I save the most? To ultimately pay only one euro in electricity costs, ideally, other factors must also align. Specifically, two points are often mentioned: The more you want to lower the temperature in the room, the higher the consumption.
Another cost driver: If the room is poorly insulated, the cool air quickly escapes, and your air conditioner is “forced” to work again at higher output. If you live in a poorly insulated attic apartment, your portable air conditioner has significantly more work to do than if you live in an insulated basement apartment (via enbw.com).
MeinMMO editor Benedikt Schlotmann lives in an attic apartment. The best trick against oppressive heat is not an air conditioner, but so-called honeycomb pleated shades. These effectively keep the heat out during the day: I live in an attic apartment, and this purchase has saved me from the current summer heat for years
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