Are you planning to buy a cooling system for your home and wondered, “how much electricity does an air conditioner use?” Air conditioners typically consume about 600 to 2,700 watts, which depends on the horsepower of your AC unit.
Moreover, this may also vary depending on the different types of air conditioner. We all know that air conditioners have been beneficial in our lives for it improves the air quality inside our homes.
Air conditioners remove the warm air from indoors then replace it with a more comfortable atmosphere. They also filter the microorganisms and pollutants that roam around the room, providing us a safer environment.
Cooling systems usually run for approximately 15 to 20 minutes. These are controlled by thermostats, which charge when the air conditioner turns on and off. The thermostat regulates the indoor temperature, so the AC unit automatically turns on and off when it reached its desired temperature based on the setting.
However, if the air conditioner shuts off automatically while still plugged, it will continue to use power. This power would be lesser than the power used while the AC runs, but it still adds up as time goes by.
So, continue reading as we discuss the electric consumption of an air conditioner.
Electricity Consumption Of An Air Conditioner
You may be wondering that you get high electricity bills every month since you have acquired a new household appliance. With that, you must take note of their electric consumptions, most especially your air conditioning unit.
Air conditioners are usually one of the largest consumers of electricity inside your home. So even though we want to provide ourselves with a cleaner environment, we should learn how to use it accordingly to avoid large payments for our bills for a month.
Various types of cooling systems also have different usage, so choose an appropriate one that fits your room as well as your budget. Here are the three different types and how much electricity does an air conditioner use.
Type #1. Central air conditioner
A central air conditioner uses a system where the air is cooled at a central area and disperses it to several parts of the room through fans, vents, and ducts. The cool air circulates cool air through a supply and returns duct system, which results in more electricity usage.
This complex system on how your central AC unit runs and its coolness are several factors that influence your energy consumption. And average electric usage of a central air conditioner is about 3,000 to 3,500 watts per hour.
Regardless, the power consumption could be lesser than usual for a central air conditioner with its compressor off, and only the fan runs. The AC unit only consumes about 750 watts because the fan that only functions in this setting uses lesser energy than the compressor.
Type #2. Window air conditioner
The window air conditioning unit might be the simplest type of cooling system among all. It also has the same function as other air conditioning systems wherein it removes the heat and cools the air that circulates the room, only that it is installed on a window.
This type of air conditioner uses lesser energy compared to central air conditioners. Its power consumption ranges from approximately 500 watts to 1,400 watts, depending on the size of your window AC unit. So, remember to choose the appropriate window AC for your home to avoid getting high charges from your electricity bill.
Type #3. Portable air conditioner
A portable air conditioner is a cooling system that is ideal for cooling a single area. You can transfer this type of AC unit from one place to another, and its capacity to cool a space depends on how much energy it can use.
The portable air conditioner uses average energy of 2,900 to 4,100 watts per hour. Its electrical consumption also depends on the unit’s size, so choose your portable AC unit carefully.
Additionally, a portable AC unit is usually the least efficient when it comes to energy saving. Based on its electrical consumption, you may conclude that it might not be the best choice as your cooling system inside your home. However, it is energy-efficient when you only use an AC unit to cool a single room and the whole house.
Saving Energy!
Air conditioners contribute a high percentage to your electricity bill if you have not managed it properly. The air conditioner’s types, sizes, and settings influence your electrical consumption.
Nevertheless, you could constantly save energy in different steps. Conserve the air conditioner’s energy consumption to have a more economical electric bill at the end of each month.
There are also energy-efficient air conditioners to choose from, so it is better to invest in these kinds of AC units to avoid having high electric bill charges. So, we have discussed the approximate wattage on how much electricity does an air conditioner use in three different types of AC units.
Remember to choose the appropriate AC for your room for lesser problems regarding your electric bill charges.