What is your air con temperature setting costing you?

What is your air con temperature setting costing you?

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In this article, Canstar Blue looks at the ideal air con temperatures for your home, as well as how much this could possibly be adding to your electricity bill.

What temperature do you run your air conditioner? Most of you reading this probably set it around the mid-twenty degree mark in summer and high teens in winter – but how much is that costing you? And, can small changes to your air conditioning habits actually save you money? We investigate below.


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What temperature should you set your air conditioner?

remote-for-air-conA standard air conditioner’s temperature should be set somewhere between 22 to 24 degrees for cooling in summer, and around 18 to 20 degrees for heating in winter. This is to ensure maximum energy efficiency from your unit. Keep in mind that these temperatures assume you live in a moderate climate, but as we all know, Australia is a land of many climates.

As a rule of thumb for summer cooling, air conditioning specialists, Daikin recommend not setting the thermostat any lower than eight degrees below the outdoor temperature.

How do temperature settings affect air con costs?

The harder your air conditioner has to work, the more electricity it will consume. That means the lower you set the temperature when cooling and the higher you set it when heating, the more you’re adding to your power bill.

It is difficult to pin point how much your air conditioner temperature is contributing to your air con’s electricity usage cost, however Ergon Energy estimates that every one degree cooler in summer adds around 10% to the amount of electricity that the air conditioner uses. Using the Ergon air con cost calculator, you can see how small changes to the cooling temperature can make a considerable difference to the cost of using an air conditioner

Annual cost of air con cooling temperature settings (4hrs per day, 13 weeks per year)

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Cooling capacity 21° 22° 23° 24° 25°
2.5kW $65.99 $60.37 $53.35 $49.14 $45.63
3.5kW $110.36 $100.96 $89.22 $82.18 $76.31
5.0kW $171.79 $157.17 $138.89 $127.93 $118.79
6.0kW $211.61 $193.60 $171.09 $157.58 $146.32
7.1kW $248.01 $226.91 $200.52 $184.69 $171.50
8.0kW $282.15 $258.13 $228.12 $210.11 $195.10
10kW $369.75 $338.28 $298.94 $275.34 $255.67
14kW $568.84 $520.43 $459.91 $423.60 $393.34

Source: www.canstarblue.com.au – 01/11/2023. Based on Ergon Energy Air Conditioning Calculator. Assumes 33.25c/kWh electricity usage rate (Tariff 11 – Ergon Energy network) with air conditioner running four hours a day for 13 weeks of the year. General guide only. 

What is the right sized air conditioner for your home?

An air conditioner should generally have at least 80 watts of output per square meter of room you intend for it to cool or heat. If a room is larger than the air con was designed to cater for, then it will be less effective at controlling the temperature – while your remote control might say the air con is set to cool to 24°, the room temperature might actually be 28°. Conversely, if your room is too small for the air conditioner, the air con will over shoot the temperature that you intended to set it to. Below is approximate guide to ideal air con capacities given the room size.

Room Size m^2 Cooling capacity (C) / Heating Capacity (H)
9m2 2.5KW(C)/3.2KW(H)
25m2 3.5kw(C)/3.7KW – 4.3KW (H)
30m2 3.5kw(C)/3.7KW(H) – 5.0KW(C)/6.0KW(H)
40m2 5.0KW(C)/6.0KW(H) – 6.0KW(C)/7.2KW(H)
45m2 6.0KW(C)/7.2KW(H) – 7.1KW(C)/8.0KW(H)
50m2 7.1KW(C)/8.0KW(H) – 8.0KW(C)/9.0KW(H)
55m2 8.0KW(C)/9.0KW(H) – 9.2KW(C)/10.0KW(H)

Source: Air Conditioner Buying Guide, Harvey Norman. General guide only.

Also keep in mind the ceiling height of the area you’re looking to heat/cool. The higher the ceiling, the more powerful of an air conditioner you will need. If you’re unsure about what size air conditioner you need, seek a professional quote.

Compare cheap electricity deals

While the factors above certainly impact the cost of air conditioning, paying less for power can help minimise costs. As the weather starts to warm up, it’s a good idea to look at your current energy plan and review the rates you pay. We’ve taken the legwork out and listed some of the cheapest deals in each state below.

Here are some of the cheapest published deals from the retailers on our database that include a link to the retailer’s website for further details. These are products from referral partners†. These costs are based on the Ausgrid network in Sydney but prices may vary depending on your circumstances. This comparison assumes general energy usage of 3911kWh/year for a residential customer on a single rate tariff. Please use our comparison tool for a specific comparison in your area. Our database may not cover all deals in your area. As always, check all details of any plan directly with the retailer before making a purchase decision.

Here are some of the cheapest published deals from the retailers on our database that include a link to the retailer’s website for further details. These are products from referral partners†. These costs are based on the Citipower network in Melbourne but prices may vary depending on your circumstances. This comparison assumes general energy usage of 4000kWh/year for a residential customer on a single rate tariff. Please use our comparison tool for a specific comparison in your area. Our database may not cover all deals in your area. As always, check all details of any plan directly with the retailer before making a purchase decision.

Here are some of the cheapest published deals from the retailers on our database that include a link to the retailer’s website for further details. These are products from referral partners†. These costs are based on the Energex network in Brisbane but prices may vary depending on your circumstances. This comparison assumes general energy usage of 4613kWh/year for a residential customer on a single rate tariff. Please use our comparison tool for a specific comparison in your area. Our database may not cover all deals in your area. As always, check all details of any plan directly with the retailer before making a purchase decision.

Here are some of the cheapest published deals from the retailers on our database that include a link to the retailer’s website for further details. These are products from referral partners†. These costs are based on the SA Power network in Adelaide but prices may vary depending on your circumstances. This comparison assumes general energy usage of 4011kWh/year for a residential customer on a single rate tariff. Please use our comparison tool for a specific comparison in your area. Our database may not cover all deals in your area. As always, check all details of any plan directly with the retailer before making a purchase decision.

Other ways to save on energy costs

  • Sealing and insulation: If the space you’re trying to heat or cool is poorly sealed or insulated, your air conditioner will have to work harder to reach the temperature you have set (i.e. if you’re trying to cool your home down to 24°, you may have to set your air conditioner’s temperature to 20°). As we’ve seen, this can be costly.
  • Energy efficiency: It almost goes without saying that you should try purchase an energy efficient air conditioner. An air conditioner will have a label with two star ratings. The blue one represents its cooling efficiency rating, while the orange one is for heating efficiency. In another article, Canstar Blue shows how much an energy efficient air conditioner might save you.
  • Alternatives to air conditioning: While we have shown that using an air conditioner on lower settings can save you money, not using the air conditioner at all will save you more. Ceiling fans and pedestal fans have considerably lower running costs than air conditioners. Also consider if solar air conditioning could be right for you.

The take home message from this report is that understanding how your air con temperature impacts your power bills is key to keeping costs under control. However, you should also keep in mind that, the higher price you pay for power, the more keeping cool will cost you. If you haven’t reviewed your energy plan in a while, you are likely paying too much.

Original Author: Jared Mullane

Kelseigh Wrigley
Energy Specialist
Kelseigh Wrigley covers Australia's retail energy market, growing her industry specific expertise over the last 2 years. She holds a Bachelor of Journalism at the Queensland University of Technology and has contributed her skills to online publications Hunter & Bligh and local radio station 4ZZZ.

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