During this heatwave, should you leave your aircon on?
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Temperatures in the Peninsular continue to rise, with July experiencing some of the hottest days in Spanish history.
The heatwave remains
August looks to be just as hot, although AEMET does predict cooler nights and a generalised average decrease in temperature.
The question stands, is it more efficient and cost-effective to leave the aircon on, or to turn it off frequently?
Aircon: on or off?
Aircon units are our best ally during these heatwaves, but the cost of using them can linger on our minds, especially when energy costs are seen to rise on occasion.
According to experts, keeping the air conditioning on to a minimum is the best way to optimise energy consumption.
Keep it on, or keep it off
However, it needs to be noted that if it is turned on, off and on again activated and deactivated continuously the cooling process has to restart each time, which increases the consumption.
25 degrees Celsius or above
The Department of Energy recommends setting your aircon at 25 degrees Celsius as, according to them, every degree under 25 degrees Celsius increases energy usage by roughly 8% per degree.
Recommendations
It is recommended not to keep any doors or windows open while the aircon is off, to avoid energy loss.
Additionally, if you have them, pull shutters, blinds or curtains down over your windows to reduce the amount of heat getting in, and the amount of cool getting out.
Once the heatwave has passed and the nights become cooler, try turning off your aircon at night, to save on energy costs, and opening your windows and shutters to let the fresh, cool air in.
Maintenance is essential
Good maintenance of your aircon unit is also crucial to its efficiency.
A full clean of the unit should be done once every two years, according to experts, however, a general clean of the filters at least once a month can help the aircon’s effectiveness.
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Originally from the UK, Harry Sinclair is a journalist and freelance writer based in Almeria covering local stories and international news, with a keen interest in arts and culture. If you have a news story please feel free to get in touch at [email protected].
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