Aussie families have been scoring a financial own goal over the hot summer months with a simple misuse of their airconditioning systems, new research shows.
The polling by financial comparison group Finder.com.au showed most households ran their airconditioning units for about six hours a day and set the temperature to 22 degrees.
This was actually much lower than the recommended temperature for getting optimal energy efficiency out of an airconditioning system, which experts revealed was about 25 degrees in most areas.
Six hours was also longer than the recommended four hours needed to get a home suitably cool in most coastal capital city areas outside of the tropics.
But about 5 per cent of households were also leaving their units running when they weren’t at home, a move affecting about one million people.
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Airconditioners are being turned too low and often when no one is even home.
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The research indicated the average amount of time airconditioning was running when no one was home was about 4.2 hours during summer, which added about $70 extra to household power bills, on average.
It comes as the average Aussie household reported spending about $410 on their quarterly energy bill in October.
Finder’s Consumer Sentiment Tracker indicated just over a quarter of Aussie households rated their energy bill as one of their most “stressful” expenses.
Finder utilities expert Mariam Gabaji said airconditioning was essential in much of the country but remained costly.
“The high energy consumption of these units can significantly impact household budgets, especially in regions with high electricity rates,” she said.
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Split system units were the cheapest to run.
“Many Australians face the difficult choice between comfort and affordability, often sacrificing other expenses to keep cool.”
Additional analysis showed the cheapest airconditioning units to run were split system, which cost an average of $203 to run over the summer period compared to the $267 average cost of reverse-cycle split systems.
Reverse-cycle split systems were considered more efficient for both heating and cooling a home.
Airconditioners were revealed to be the most expensive household appliances to run.
Ms Gabaji said there were some savvy strategies that could allow households to strike a balance between comfort and cost.
“Using a programmable thermostat, regular maintenance, and proper insulation can significantly improve your airconditioner’s efficiency,” she said. “For older units, upgrading to a more energy-efficient model is a worthwhile investment.
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Finder energy expert Mariam Gabaji.
“Additionally, taking advantage of natural cooling methods, such as opening windows and using shade, can help lower energy consumption.”
Households could also consider their current energy plan, with the gap between the cheapest and priciest energy deals recently widening.
“You could save anywhere from $40 to $220 by switching to a better deal,” Finder said.
Ms Gabaji said other ways Aussies could save on airconditioning costs were by cleaning filters at least once a year, using fans during cooler hours and closing windows and doors during periods of excessive heat.
“Setting the right target temperature is vital,” she said. “Each extra degree of cooling can add 10 per cent to your bill.”
