Posted on: Friday, September 2, 2005
Cool it without breaking the bank
Advertiser Staff
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ON THE WEB More advice, for homes and businesses, is available at www.heco.com. |
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From now through November, which includes some of the hottest weeks in Hawai'i, Islanders tend to use the most electricity, putting the greatest strain on O'ahu's power generation. And the cost of energy use has gone up by more than 16 percent in the past year, according to Hawaiian Electric Co.
One source of higher energy use: air conditioning. More homes are installing and using air conditioners, and many new homes are being built with air conditioners already installed, HECO reports.
The energy use of air conditioners depends on several factors: hours of use, size, efficiency and condition of the components. The cooling capacity of an air conditioner is expressed in British thermal units per hour, or Btu/H. The higher the Btu/H, the more cooling capacity the unit provides.
Hawaiian Electric has a variety of tips on how to be more energy efficient to save you money, protect the environment and help reduce the use of electricity. Here are suggestions on reducing your air-conditioning bill:
Use ceiling fans instead of air conditioners when possible. Fans do not remove heat but can provide a cooling effect by circulating air, and they are less expensive to operate.
If you do use an air conditioner, use ceiling fans with it. Ceiling fans can circulate air in the house and may allow you to raise the thermostat setting with no loss of comfort.
Turn on your air conditioner only when someone is at home. An air conditioner will cool your home fairly quickly. Consider installing a programmable thermostat so you can set the time when the air conditioner will turn on, such as 30 minutes before you plan to arrive home. And don't turn your air conditioner to the highest setting when you first turn it on. It will not cool your home any faster and is more expensive.
Set the thermostat at the warmest comfortable setting.
Keep the room cool by drawing drapes or blinds to block out the sun. Shade windows with trees, shrubbery or awnings.
Clean filter and baffles regularly. Replace filters that look worn.
Close windows and doors when the unit is on. Window air conditioners are designed to cool one room.
Use kitchen, bath and other exhaust fans carefully. In just one hour these fans can pull out a houseful of cooled air. Turn fans off as soon as they have done the job.
TIPS FOR BUYING
Look for the Energy Star label on products. Earning the Energy Star means a product meets strict energy efficiency guidelines set by the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy. Energy Star-qualified room air conditioners use at least 10 percent less energy than conventional models.
Make sure to size the air conditioner to the area it has to cool. The correct size needed to cool a given space is determined by performing a cooling load calculation. Cooling load estimates are best performed by consulting engineers or an air conditioner vendor's professional staff. Choose the smallest system that is adequate to cool the required space during a hot day.
Check the Energy Guide label. An air conditioner's operating efficiency is measured by its energy efficiency ratio or seasonal energy efficiency ratio.
HECO's Web site, www.heco.com, includes a calculator to help you select the right air conditioner for your home. Click on "Residential services," then "Household energy," then "Choosing an Air Conditioner" to access the calculator.
All savings are based on industry averages, and a cost of 14 cents per kilowatt-hour.
