With the price of electricity skyrocketing, using air conditioning to combat the intense heat of summer can cause bill increases of around 125 euros per year. The latest survey published by the SOStariffe.it and Segugio.it Observatory has analyzed the options available to families to cool their homes and combat the heat even without air conditioning.
Cooling your home during the summer is important but it involves a real peak in electricity consumption, linked to the use of the air conditioner, an appliance capable of lowering the temperature in the home, becoming a tool, for many essential, to defeat the heat. At this time, the use of the air conditioner poses a "problem" of no secondary importance.
With the price of electricity skyrocketing, in fact, cooling your home with air conditioning is increasingly expensive. For the same use, costs have increased significantly compared to last year. Everything revolves around the energy crisis that has led to a significant increase in retail prices for electricity. Using air conditioning, especially for prolonged use, is much more expensive today.
The new study by the SOStariffe.it and Segugio.it Observatory focuses on solutions for cooling your home without air conditioning and, therefore, without having to deal with the peak consumption associated with the use of the device. This is not an impossible mission, although, inevitably, the choice not to use air conditioning (or even just reduce its use) will involve some compromises.
The weight of the air conditioner on the bill: an extra expense of 125 euros per year
The air conditioner causes a substantial increase in electricity consumption throughout the summer period. An accurate evaluation of the weight of the air conditioner on the annual consumption of a home is linked to the analysis of multiple factors. The consumption of this appliance is linked both to the time of use and to the methods (lowering the target temperature at home by a lot, in fact, will cause an exponential growth in consumption).
On average, it is possible to estimate a “weight” on the bill of the air conditioner equal to about 450 kWh per year. This figure will be multiplied by the unit cost of electricity (the price of the “energy component” often also indicated as “electricity fee” by suppliers) to determine the impact of the air conditioner on the bill and, in particular, on the portion of the bill directly linked to consumption.
By activating the electricity tariff with the lowest price available in June 2022, it is possible to reduce the impact of the air conditioner on the bill to approximately 125 euros in a year (concentrate almost entirely on the bills relating to the months of June, July and August). This figure can be significantly higher if the air conditioner is not highly efficient and if the user "pushes" too much on the target temperature, exceeding 8-10° C of difference with the room temperature.
Users of the Protected Market or who have not activated one of the more convenient offers of the Free Market could face a significantly higher expense. For those who have more than one active air conditioner at home, furthermore, there is an even greater impact to take into account. With a system of two air conditioners, therefore, the threshold of 200 euros of extra impact on the bill linked to the use of the device could easily be exceeded.
Alternatives to air conditioning: reduced consumption and good cooling with a ceiling fan
The first system available to users to cool their home without air conditioning is to choose a different device, characterized by a significantly lower energy consumption. By opting for a ceiling fan, to be used as a replacement for an air conditioner in a home environment, it is possible to obtain a good feeling of refreshment with a very low energy consumption.
The actual impact on the bill of one or more ceiling fans must be assessed case by case and is strictly linked to the model chosen, the speed of operation and the time of use. It is possible to estimate that the annual consumption of a ceiling fan is equal to about a tenth of that recorded by the air conditioner, for the same time of use. This reduction in consumption (which also involves less intense cooling, however) can translate into a saving of almost 110 euros on the bill.
Fans, both ceiling and portable, must be used correctly. In fact, it is necessary to choose the right position to install the device, which must not be placed too far from the area to be cooled. In a room where there is no one, moreover, it is not necessary to activate a fan to "move the air". It is better to turn it off and turn it on only when you need to combat the heat in that particular room.
8 Practical Tips to Beat the Heat Without Air Conditioning in Summer
8 Ways to Cool Your Home Without Air Conditioning
Alternative method Advantage
1 Fan Get a good feeling of cooling with much less electricity consumption
2 Shutters or curtains Keep the interior of the house as cool as possible, blocking the entry of solar rays, even without resorting to using the air conditioner
3 Plants on balconies and windows To absorb part of the external heat
4 Air currents To reduce the feeling of heat in the house (for houses exposed on multiple sides)
5 Open the windows at night Fresher air will enter the rooms of the house to counteract the heat
6 LED bulbs Produce a minimal amount of heat compared to incandescent bulbs, making them more suitable for use in the evening hours of summer days.
7 Avoid devices that generate heat Such as prolonged cooking, electrical appliances that work at high temperatures, etc. The heat produced results in an increase in the temperature in the house.
8 Improve thermal insulation Prevent the dispersion of fresh air, from inside to outside, and the entry of hot air, from outside to inside
SOStariffe.it Ratings for June 2022.
Giving up air conditioning and the use of high-consumption systems such as air conditioning means that you need to deal with the summer heat by putting into practice a series of precautions, necessary to spend the hottest weeks of the year without suffering too much from high temperatures. A few precautions are really enough to deal with the intense heat of summer in the right way.
Among the elements to consider is the need to block the direct entry of solar rays into the home. This goal can be achieved by using curtains, blinds and other elements capable of representing an "obstacle" to the entry of solar rays, ensuring the possibility of keeping the home environment as cool as possible.
To combat the summer heat, you can place plants on balconies and windows that will help absorb part of the heat radiated by the sun. It should also be noted that to deal with the sun's rays, it is also useful to shade balconies and terraces. If the house has a garden, it is also possible to plant trees, even small ones, strategically, positioning them to take advantage of the shade during the hottest hours of the day.
You must then learn to manage air currents that represent a natural cooling remedy for your home. For homes exposed on multiple sides, in fact, you can also take advantage of small breezes to create air currents (by opening the “right” windows). The circulation of air will help reduce the feeling of heat and lower the temperature in your home.
Another important trick to deal with the summer heat even without resorting to air conditioning is the possibility of taking advantage of the cooler air of the night hours. By opening the windows at night, in fact, it will be possible to obtain a good exchange of air and contribute to lowering the internal temperature of the house, counteracting the heat.
During the evening hours, it is also necessary to minimize the heat produced by lighting systems. Incandescent light bulbs, in fact, in addition to consuming more, generate a lot of heat. The right choice is to switch to LED lighting systems that generate minimal heat during operation. In this way, it is possible to illuminate the house even without causing an increase in temperature.
The relationship between electrical devices and temperature in the home is very close. During the summer months, it is advisable to avoid using household appliances and all devices that generate a lot of heat. All electrical devices that work at high temperatures (from the oven to the desktop PC) risk, with their operation, causing a worsening of the climate in the home. The heat produced translates into an increase in temperature and a greater sensation of heat. Even prolonged cooking using the stove or gas oven should be avoided during the summer.
It is also important to evaluate the importance of maximally improving the thermal insulation of the home. This goal can be achieved in various ways, using thermal insulation for the building or specific fixtures. A thermally insulated home is essential in winter but is also very useful in summer, representing a shield against the hot air outside.
How to Cut the Weight of the Air Conditioner on Your Bill to Cool Your Home Without Spending Too Much
Giving up air conditioning at home during the summer is possible, although you have to take into account some compromises. Before giving up this solution for home cooling, it is advisable to take into account some very specific elements. The "weight" of the air conditioner on the bill can be reduced in various ways, acting both on the consumption of the device and on the cost of energy.
It is possible, in fact, to focus on a high energy efficiency model, perhaps to be purchased by taking advantage of the tax deductions (50% or 65%, depending on the situation) valid until the end of the year. There is also the opportunity to reduce the cost of electricity, relying on the best electricity offers available on the SOStariffe.it comparator. By lowering the cost of energy, in fact, the amount of bills will also be reduced (with the same consumption).
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