How to Use Your Home Air Conditioning Efficiently Year-Round and Save on Energy Bills
When most people in the UK think of air conditioning, they picture blasting freezing air during our brief summer heatwaves. Because of this, many homeowners assume that running an AC unit will cause their electricity bills to skyrocket.
In reality, modern air conditioning systems are incredibly sophisticated air-to-air heat pumps. When used correctly, they are one of the most energy-efficient ways to heat and cool your home.
Whether you’ve just had a new unit installed or you're looking to get the most out of your current system, here are our top tips for using your air conditioning efficiently all year round.
1. Stop Cranking It to 16°C
It’s a common misconception that turning your thermostat down to its absolute lowest setting will cool the room down faster. It won’t. Your unit works at the same speed regardless of the target temperature; setting it to 16°C just means it will keep working overtime and burning unnecessary electricity until it reaches a temperature that is uncomfortably cold.
The best approach: Set your thermostat to a comfortable 21°C to 23°C in the summer. The unit will cool the room steadily and then efficiently tick over to maintain that exact climate, using a fraction of the power.
2. Use It as Your Primary Winter Heater
Did you know that your air conditioner is also a highly efficient heater? Top-tier brands like Panasonic, Daikin, and Mitsubishi Electric manufacture systems that can extract latent heat from the outside air—even in freezing conditions—and pump it into your home.
The benefit: Using your AC to heat a living room or home office is often much cheaper than firing up your entire gas central heating system. During the chilly shoulder months of autumn and spring, leave your boiler off and use your aircon to provide instant, targeted warmth exactly where you need it.
3. Take Advantage of Smart Controls
Gone are the days of losing the plastic AC remote down the back of the sofa. Almost all modern Air Conditioning systems come equipped with built-in Wi-Fi and smartphone app connectivity.
How to use it: Don't leave your system running all day while you are at work. Instead, use the app to turn your cooling or heating on 15 minutes before you pull into your driveway. You can also set daily schedules, ensuring you wake up to a warm bedroom in December or a perfectly chilled room in July, without wasting energy overnight.
4. Zone Your Home
Air conditioning units are designed to manage the climate of a specific "zone" or room. If you leave your living room door wide open, the conditioned air will escape into the hallway, and the unit will continuously draw in unconditioned air from the rest of the house.
The golden rule: Treat your aircon like a fridge. If the unit is running, keep external windows and internal doors closed. If you want climate control across the whole house, a multi-room setup is a much more efficient solution than trying to cool a whole house with a single unit.
5. Keep the Filters Clean
Your air conditioner doesn't just change the temperature; it actively filters out dust, pollen, and allergens from your indoor air. Over time, these filters get clogged. A blocked filter forces the fan to work twice as hard to push air through, draining energy and reducing the lifespan of the system.
The maintenance routine: Every couple of months, pop the front panel off your indoor unit and gently vacuum or wash the mesh filters. Furthermore, ensure you have an F-Gas qualified engineer inspect the system and top up the refrigerant gases every year to keep your manufacturer warranties intact.
Ready for Perfect Climate Control?
If you're tired of sweltering summers and freezing winters, it might be time to upgrade your home. At Smart Plus Heating, our F-Gas qualified engineers supply and install ultra-efficient air conditioning systems across Dartford, Kent, Essex, Sussex, and the wider South East.
We offer free, no-obligation home surveys to design a setup tailored exactly to your property.
Explore our Air Conditioning Services or Contact us today on 01322 474990 to book your survey!