How is aircon electricity consumption computed?
Electricity consumption in the Philippines is measured in Kilowatt-hour (kWh). The basic formula to compute aircon consumption per day is to convert the horsepower of your unit to Watts (1 HP = 745.7 Watts). Multiply 746 Watts by the number of hours you use it per day x the electricity rate of your provider, then add the 12% Value Added Tax (VAT). If your unit has inverter technology, then the average consumption reduction of the appliance should be factored in.
You may also use this computation for the consumption of the other four major appliances: Refrigerator, washing machine, electric cooking stove, and water heater.
Tips to reduce aircon power consumption cost
- Maintain your aircon routinely - Due to our tropical climate, it is recommended to have your aircon professionally cleaned and checked by a certified technician 3 to 4 times per year. You can easily book our affordable cleaning service by a professional technician, anytime. If you need help deciding the cleaning frequency or if you don’t want to overlook your next cleaning schedule, check out our customizable and fully automated annual maintenance plan.
- Avoid the loss of cool air - Your room should be well insulated. While the aircon is operating, ensure doors and windows are shut and the room is letting in the least amount of sunlight through the use of shutters, blinds, or curtains.
- Review your electric bill - Check your bill if your electricity consumption has been going up over the past few months. If you had your aircon cleaned within the past 3-4 months and it is the main appliance that you often use, then get it checked by a certified technician. It may need another cleaning or repair. Our technicians can run a full check-up of your unit and give you the proper recommendation for service.
- Reduce aircon fan speed, increase thermostat temperature, & use ceiling fan - Many have their aircon set to a temperature below 20 degrees celsius then sleep with a blanket on. You can save energy and get good comfort by reducing the aircon fan speed and setting the thermostat at a comfortable 22℃ to draw less power. Consider using the ceiling fan at low speed to help evenly distribute the cool air in the room.
- Use your aircon timer - Many do not use the aircon timer feature. If you set it to shut off, let’s say 1 hour before your wake-up time, a room remains relatively cool during the early morning and you save 30 hours of energy cost per month!
- Select the right aircon size - Some users often do not choose the proper cooling capacity for the room. Instead, they opt to buy a lower capacity aircon to save on the purchase price but end up spending more on electricity in the long run. Several factors contribute to the proper selection of an aircon. Before you buy your next unit, have your room surveyed by a professional to determine the correct capacity.
- Upgrade to Inverter Technology - If you have an older unit, consider replacing it with an inverter type that is designed to consume from 25 to 64% less energy. The average cost per hour of an inverter aircon may fall to P7.00 or even as low as P3.50, and can save you thousands per month! Since our shopping habits changed forever with COVID-19, visiting an appliance store is now time-consuming and inconvenient. To save you time and money, we teamed up with ConcepStore, the official online shop of the nation's top brands: Carrier and Condura.
Tips to reduce consumption cost of other major appliances
- Washing Machine - Top-load washers are often inefficient as they don’t deliver good performance and energy savings. Front-load washers are now gaining in popularity due to their better cleaning capability and higher capacity. We recommend inverter models as they are designed to deliver better performance with lower energy consumption. A wash cycle of 20 to 30 minutes, often pre-programmed as QuickWash, typically delivers a good wash at low consumption. If your clothes are heavily soiled, a longer wash cycle may be needed.
- Refrigerator - Energy savings can be achieved with an inverter ref. Similar in function to inverter aircons, a ref with inverter technology has a variable speed compressor that helps reduce consumption by avoiding the start-stop cycle of non-inverter compressors. Of course, it’s still recommended not to leave the ref door open for long periods of time.
- Electric cooking stove & water heater - For these two appliances, lowering their usage frequency is the main way to reduce their consumption. Lowering the temperature of the water heater and taking shorter shower times help save even on more energy costs.
