Get ready, Philippines. Summer is here. Prepare for rising temperatures and electricity bills. There’s no avoiding the scorching heat outside, but you can stay cool inside your home without scorching your wallet.
Upgrade Your Home
It might cost a bit of money, but upgrading your air conditioning units and refrigerators to ones that use inverter technology is an investment that will save you a lot of money in the long run. Inverter technology enables your appliances to continuously adjust their power consumption to meet specific needs instead of operating at full power all the time. This makes appliances that use inverter technology more durable than their standard counterparts. Inverter technology makes units quieter and more efficient in their use of electricity. Not running at full capacity all the time also makes them less likely to break down, minimizing the need for servicing. Inverter units are slightly more expensive, but they will usually cover that extra cost through the savings that you get from your electricity bills.
Get Insulated
Keep the heat out of your house. Your air conditioning unit won’t be much help if heat regularly enters your home. Keep your house sealed as much as you can — that means keeping your windows and doors closed and sealing of large conduits that bring in outside heat. A little insulation in your ceiling can significantly reduce the heat entering your house. Insulating materials are quite affordable, and you can easily have your roof installed within a day. Use blinds on glass windows to keep sunlight out or have your windows treated with solar window films. Skylights are great for keeping a room naturally well lit, but they can be punishing when it comes to heat. The additional air conditioning cost will dwarf the savings that you get for the extra illumination. Ditch the skylights or find a way to close them during the summer months.
Cutting Costs Around the House
Your electricity bills will spike during the summer — there’s no avoiding it. However, you can make that spike a little more manageable by making your house energy-efficient. Switch to LED lights; these lights are cooler and consume a fraction of the energy of older bulbs and fluorescent lighting. Make sure that your freezer isn’t frosted over. Ice can reduce your freezer’s performance, causing it to use more energy. Either defrost it manually or avoid the situation entirely by purchasing a no-frost unit. When buying an air conditioning unit, it is better to choose one with a built-in timer. A timer will automatically shut down your air conditioning at pre-programmed times, making sure that you don’t accidentally keep it on for longer than you need. If you have old appliances, it might be time to buy new ones. Old devices — particularly those older than 5-10 years — aren’t as energy-efficient as the new models.
Cutting your electric bills can cost a bit of money, but that money is well spent. A few hundred pesos less on your bill can amount to thousands by the end of the year and the succeeding years.
