How to Set Your Air Conditioner to be an Efficient Heater in Brisbane For Winter

If you’re unsure how to set your air conditioner to compliment the winter climate, it will not be efficient and could potentially hit you hard with ongoing operating costs. With power bills surging, it is important to keep heating costs down all year round. Mercury Services have some tips on how you can get the most efficiency from your air conditioner this winter.

Be Energy Efficient

The most effective way to get value for money from your air conditioner is to operate it in relation to the temperature outside. If it’s unusually cold outside, don’t set your air conditioner to a really high temperature. It will need to use a lot of energy to convert such cool exterior air into such warm interior air. In Brisbane in winter, however the temperature does not fluctuate as dramatically as other regions so set the most efficient temperature to between 18-21°C. Every 1°C less in winter will save about 10% on your energy usage. It’s also important to monitor the temperature of your air conditioner in winter months (unless you have one that does this automatically). Remember that hot air rises and cool air falls, so in winter angle the adjustable louvres down toward the floor. Have your air conditioner regularly serviced for longevity and performance.

Smart air conditioner features ideal for Brisbane winters

Energy saving features are key when choosing your air conditioner as it will lower ongoing usage costs. In Queensland split system air conditioners must have a 4-star energy rating or a 2.9 Energy Efficient Rating (EER) as a minimum requirement. Activate functions like movement sensors, which reduce power and energy when no-one is home. Try to avoid leaving the system running overnight. Most have a function where you can set a time for the air conditioner to turn on and off. It’s best to utilise this if need be.

New Peaksmart air conditioners can help with on and off-peak periods. Have a signal receiver installed in the air conditioner to cap energy consumption at times when there’s peak demand on the network. This receiver is signalled remotely by your electricity provider. It’s a set and forget technology to ensure constant comfort in your home and you won’t need to adjust a thing. You can use your air conditioner in Brisbane’s winter and you can use it efficiently, if you’re not sure, just ask us! We can help set you up for an economically warm winter.