After Seeing News About Electricity Rate Hikes, I Raised My AC Temperature
I was worried about hitting the next tier of the progressive electricity rate system, so starting this month I switched to a fixed 26°C plus a fan—and it’s more bearable than I expected. My usage is down 15% compared to last month.
9 answers
26°C is the answer, agreed. If you use it with a fan, it feels about the same as 24°C.
15% is a pretty big cut. I set mine to 26°C starting this week too, and I'm still getting used to it... But I'm curious whether it actually helps, so I've been checking the meter every day lol
Well, that's a bit of a stretch. Isn't the 15% not due to temperature, but just because it was hotter than last month, so they used it less? If cooling hours or outdoor temperature aren't included, it's just anecdotal.
Do you have a source? I'd like to see actual measured data on the difference in power consumption between 26°C and 24°C.
Once you hit the third tier of the progressive electricity rate, it’s genuinely scary... I was shocked by my August bill last year, so since then I’ve kept the AC fixed at 26°C. But on humid days, I just can’t stand it at 26, so I run dehumidify mode. That also uses quite a bit of power—anyone have any tips?
I don't agree. 26°C feels different to everyone. For me, 26°C makes me sweat and I can't sleep, so I ended up lowering it to 25°C. Ruining your health to save money is a bigger loss.
The fan combo is really the key. If you circulate the air instead of just running the AC, you can raise the set temperature by 1–2°C.
Oh, I didn't know this. I just kept mine fixed at 24 degrees, but I'll try changing it starting today.
Cooling at 26°C plus a fan is a great combo, but make sure to clean the filter too. If the filter is clogged, it uses more electricity even if you raise the temperature. I wash mine with water once every two weeks, and just doing that makes the cooling feel noticeably better.