Don't Close the Windows When Using Air Conditioning! Taiwan Power Company Teaches 4 Energy-Saving Tips to Save 37%, Press One Button Before Bedtime to Stay Cool All Night Without Increasing Electricity Bills

During the hot summer days, many people close windows and doors and turn on the air conditioner as soon as they get home, thinking that this is the coolest way. However, the Environmental Protection Bureau of Chiayi City reminds us that air conditioners do not have the function of air exchange. If the air conditioner is used for a long time in a closed space, indoor air cannot circulate, and carbon dioxide and polluted air will continue to accumulate, which may cause headaches, chest tightness, drowsiness, or lack of concentration.

In other words, when using the air conditioner, it is not always necessary to completely close the windows. Opening doors and windows for ventilation at the right time is actually a healthier choice.

The air conditioner only circulates indoor air and does not bring in fresh outdoor air. The Environmental Protection Bureau of Chiayi City points out that whether it is a split-type or window-type air conditioner, it generally exchanges the cold and hot air indoors and operates in a circulating manner, without the real function of outdoor air exchange or exhaust.

In simple terms, the refrigerant flows inside the air conditioner pipes, not the outdoor air. The air conditioner can lower the indoor temperature, but it does not mean that it will remove the polluted air indoors. If the room is closed for a long time, relying only on the air conditioner to operate, the indoor air will still circulate repeatedly, and the carbon dioxide concentration may gradually increase. Therefore, even in air-conditioned rooms, ventilation is still necessary. Especially when many people stay at home at the same time, the bedroom is closed for a long time, the study room works for a long time, or the living room uses the air conditioner for several hours, attention should be paid to the circulation of air.

The accumulation of carbon dioxide may cause headaches, chest tightness, drowsiness, slow reactions, and fatigue. This also explains why some people, even though they are in an air-conditioned room and the temperature is not high, still feel unwell, or even uncomfortable in the chest. The problem may not be that the air conditioner is not cold enough, but that the indoor air has not been refreshed for a long time. For families who often work at home, play games for a long time, read, sleep, or take care of children, the air quality in the air-conditioned room is more worth paying attention to. Just lowering the temperature does not necessarily solve the problem of poor air circulation.

When using the air conditioner, you should leave a gap (about 15 cm) to allow indoor and outdoor air to exchange. The key here is "timely," not to keep the windows open all the time while using the air conditioner, but to arrange short-term ventilation during long-term use of the air conditioner to reduce the accumulation of carbon dioxide and polluted air indoors.

In terms of ventilation methods, if the house has diagonal or opposite windows, it is best to adopt the convection method to open the windows, so that the air can enter from one side and exit from the other, which will have a better ventilation effect. If the unit has only single-sided windows or single-sided windows, you can use a circulation fan to strengthen the indoor air flow.

Will opening windows for ventilation consume more electricity? Many people are most concerned that opening windows while using the air conditioner will waste electricity. In fact, if the doors and windows are left open for a long time, the air conditioner will indeed lose its cooling effect and increase power consumption. However, what the Environmental Protection Bureau refers to is to "timely" open at least 15 cm for ventilation, not to keep the windows open all the time while using the air conditioner. A more practical approach is to briefly open the windows before turning on the air conditioner to remove the hot and stuffy air indoors, or after the air conditioner has been running for a while, briefly open the doors and windows for ventilation. This way, you can improve the indoor air quality without letting the air conditioner lose its cooling effect for a long time.

Energy-saving tip 1: Set the temperature to 26-28 degrees. In addition to ventilation, Taiwan Power Company has shared air conditioning energy-saving methods. First, the air conditioning temperature should not be set too low. For every 1 degree increase in air conditioning temperature, about 6% of electricity can be saved. Therefore, setting the air conditioning between 26-28 degrees is a more energy-saving approach.

Many people turn the air conditioning to 18 or 20 degrees as soon as they get home, wanting to cool down quickly, but this actually causes the compressor to operate at high load for a long time, increasing power consumption. If you want to feel cool faster, you can use a fan or circulation fan to blow the cool air evenly throughout the house, which is more effective than just lowering the temperature. Especially when sleeping, human activity decreases, and you may not need too low a temperature. Setting it at a higher temperature and combining it with an appropriate fan speed is usually sufficient for comfort.

Energy-saving tip 2: Regularly clean the filter and the body. Whether the air conditioner is energy-saving or not is greatly related to cleaning and maintenance. Taiwan Power Company suggests that the air conditioner filter should be cleaned every 2-3 weeks, which can save about 10% of electricity. Because once the filter is full of dust, the air conditioner's air intake and exhaust will be obstructed, the cooling efficiency will decrease, and the machine will need to operate for a longer time.

Energy-saving tip 3: Choose a first-level energy-efficient inverter air conditioner. If you are preparing to replace a new air conditioner, you should prioritize products with energy-saving labels and higher energy efficiency. The data mentioned that the highest energy saving can reach 37% compared to level 5. The advantage of inverter air conditioners is that after the indoor temperature is close to the set value, the compressor can adjust the output more stably and does not need to frequently turn on and off completely. Compared with traditional fixed-frequency air conditioners, they are usually easier to save electricity and more able to maintain a stable indoor temperature when used for a long time. Of course, whether the air conditioner is energy-saving also depends on the room size, sun direction, installation location, usage time, and maintenance condition. Even if you buy a high-efficiency air conditioner, if the set temperature is too low and the filter is not cleaned for a long time, it will still increase power consumption.

Energy-saving tip 4: Do not frequently turn the air conditioner on and off. Many people turn off the air conditioner to save electricity every time they leave the room for a few minutes and turn it on when they return. Taiwan Power Company reminds us that if it is only a short absence within 30 minutes, you can consider not turning off the air conditioner. However, if you are away for a long time, such as not being at home for 10 hours, you should turn off the air conditioner. The reason is that every time the air conditioner is restarted, it needs more electricity to bring the room temperature down again. If it is only a short absence, frequent turning on and off may not really save electricity, but may increase the load on the machine. On the contrary, if the absence time is very long, it is unnecessary to keep the air conditioner on. Therefore, whether to turn on the air conditioner should be based on the length of the absence, not mechanically turning it off as soon as you leave and turning it on as soon as you return. Using the timer, sleep mode, or smart plug settings can also avoid the air conditioner being used for a long time without anyone using it.