In recent years, the price of electricity has risen continuously. In 2010 it was still around 23 cents per kWh, in 2022 it will already be 43 cents on average. This increase allows consumers to take a closer look at every electrical device, because ongoing operation causes high follow-up costs. Air conditioning is also often dismissed as a power guzzler. It's true that it uses a lot of electricity to generate the cooling power - but can't that be optimized? We have summarized the most important tips!
Cost factor air conditioning - You need to know this fundamentally
Before we come to the electricity costs and how to optimize them, we would like to briefly explain what the air conditioning costs and how you can calculate your individual electricity consumption.
The biggest cost factor is the purchase of the air conditioner, no matter which type you choose. The split air conditioner is slightly more expensive than a monobloc unit, but then it also works much more efficiently and saves you money. Air conditioners are not as expensive today as they used to be, ranging in price from 200 to several thousand euros. For example, you can get a good entry-level model from Kältebringer for as little as EUR 619.00.
Aside from the air conditioning itself, you have to expect the following costs. The sums we give are average values, in individual cases these can deviate from your individual costs. There are these factors:
- Electricity Costs – We come to these in the sections below
- Assembly - The assembly of the split air conditioner requires expertise. It costs about 200 euros
- Maintenance costs - Depending on the effort and time, around 150 euros per year
- Spare and wear parts - Annual costs around 50 euros, usually even less
- Cleansing – At most a cleansing foam, but not a must. Annually about 10 euros
In addition to the costs, there is a small amount of work for you if you want to clean the air conditioning system yourself and change smaller wearing parts yourself. You should plan 30 minutes once a year for cleaning, here the air filter and fins are wiped and disinfected. Replacing wearing parts such as the various filters will take you around 10 minutes.
You can read about how to clean your air conditioning system quickly and efficiently in our guides . You will also find the disinfectant foam and all the accessories for your air conditioning system in the Kältebringer online shop .
Facts & Figures – How Much Does Your Air Conditioner Cost You?
In times of rising electricity prices, you should work out in black and white what your air conditioning really costs. Of course, this also depends heavily on the period of use, because what many do not know: many split air conditioning systems can also heat.
A heat pump is installed in the cold bringer air conditioning systems, which you can use in winter. Accordingly, the annual electricity costs are then slightly higher than if you only use it in summer.
There is a simple formula for calculating the power required for cooling:
Cubic meter of space x 30 watts (cubic meter = square meter x height)
Example: You have a room of 25 square meters in a building with average insulation. The ceiling height is three meters. The formula for calculating the cooling capacity is therefore: 25 x 3 x 30 = 2250 watts
So you need one or more air conditioners with a total output of 2250 watts to cool the room. This corresponds to a consumption of 2.25 kilowatts. With an electricity price of approx. 40 cents, the air conditioning costs you just under 80 cents per hour - manageable costs for the high added value!
Optimizing electricity costs – you should pay attention to this
If used incorrectly, even the most efficient air conditioning system can become a power and money guzzler. That's why you should pay attention to a few basics right from the time of purchase, which will enable you to save a lot in the long term.
The right cooling capacity
Air conditioning systems, such as those from Kältebringer, are available in different performance levels. Depending on the size of the room, the type of insulation and the age of the building, you have to decide which of the systems suits you best. You can calculate the power requirement quickly and easily using the formula described above.
If the cooling capacity is too high compared to the size of the room, you are wasting money because it inevitably requires more electricity to operate. However, the device must not be too weak, because then it could be difficult to generate a comfortable temperature in the room. You should therefore pay attention to the right performance in advance!
Running times & breaks
Most people spend very little time in their own homes during the day, usually at work or pursuing their hobbies.
Accordingly, your air conditioning does not have to and should not always be running. With a room size of 20 square meters, the Kältebringer split air conditioning system needs about 20 minutes to ensure a comfortable temperature. You should therefore think carefully about when it makes sense to switch the system on or off. In addition to saving electricity, you also save loads on the system, and it lives a little longer.
From experience we can say that most people activate their air conditioning in the afternoon/evening and turn it off again in the morning. Even in hot summer temperatures, the apartment stays cool and comfortable until midday, and you could even stay there longer. Even if you then go to work, don't waste energy. At night the air conditioning runs like this and you have a restful sleep.
Smart routines & automations
Today, air conditioners are already small computers with a wide range of useful functions. In the case of the Kältebringer air conditioning systems, these are, for example: app control, adjustment to the outside temperature, self-cleaning or automatic switch-off.
All these functions save you further costs. The automatic adjustment to the outside temperature, for example, guarantees that the device does not cool at too high a level when it is getting colder outside anyway. In addition, you no longer have to adjust anything manually. With a wifi thermostat you can control your air conditioner from anywhere in the world, even when you are on holiday or at work. Accidental "starting" is almost impossible.
Only a clean, hygienic air conditioning system can work efficiently. If the air filter or fins are dirty, more electricity is required for the same cooling capacity. Self-cleaning does the work for you here too and switches on automatically when required.
With these tips, even with high electricity prices, you can create even more added value with the air conditioning system. If used correctly and trust in smart functions, the costs are manageable and the added value is great. If you would like to find out more about the Kältebringer air conditioners, please have a look at the product page !
