Split System Air Conditioner Efficiency

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About Split System Air Conditioner Efficiency

The split system air conditioner is a very common type of heating and cooling used in homes. Since the early years of air conditioning, the split system has been the default choice for home owners.

However, even though recent models of split system air conditioners are quite efficient, they could still consume a lot of power and cost you a large power bill each month.

Let’s look at makes up a split system air conditioner and how you can optimise it’s operational efficiency.

split system air conditioner efficiency - mitsubishi electric

What is a Split System Air Conditioner

Split system air conditioner consists of a few parts. A main compressor generates the cold or warm air through a refrigerative process, and this air is blown into rooms or spaces into a home, through wall mounted blower units.

The wall units can be quite bulky but newer models come in sleeker, trendier designs that help these units blend in to the interior decor of a home. Making them more aesthetic to look at.

Split System air conditioners are more suited for standard sized, single storey homes. For example, a 2-3 bedroom single storey house can be easily fitted with a 2-3 way split system air conditioner.

Split System Air Conditioner Efficiency

When it comes to air conditioning, one of the key concerns of home owners is running cost. Everyone knows that Adelaide and South Australia has one of the highest energy cost across the nation. And if you follow the news, you would have heard stories of how home owners who have been “lavish” in the way they use their air conditioning, have raked up astronomical power bills.

You don’t want that to happen to you. So here are a few tips associated with maximising the efficiency of your Split System Air Conditioner.

Servicing & Replacement

Split system air conditioner efficiency can be reduced with age and usage. A frequently used split system air conditioner will require service and maintenance twice a year. Minimally, once a year.

During servicing, the air filter and internal components are vacuumed and chemically cleaned, with new refrigerant topped up. This reduces the build up of grime and dust which reduces air flow. Proper cleaning and maintenance reduces the work your air conditioner needs to do to fulfil it’s function. And this in turn reduces power consumption – and your power bill!

Many home owners try to save on maintenance – not knowing that this comes back to haunt them when their air conditioner operates below efficiency and consumes way more power than it normally would.

Usage Pattern

This is one of the key reasons home owners sometimes get power bill shocks from air conditioning. Lavishly turning on your split system air conditioner throughout the day, will definitely result in sky high power bills.

Discerning home owners know how to control their usage pattern in order to minimise power consumption. For example, you can decide to only turn on the air conditioner for an hour or so, twice a day. At a time when you need it most. Many home owners only turn on the air conditioner for short runs when they need it. This type of conscientious usage pattern helps save a lot of power, and trees.

Recent models of split system air conditioners come with advanced Climate Control features. You can program your entire split system air conditioner once, and forget about managing it ever. You could program it to turn on just before dinner, and just before you sleep at night for an hour. This ensures you will never be hit by an excessive power bill.

Ceiling Fans / Roof Ventilators

Some home owners complain that their air conditioner is not effectively cooling a home fast enough. Often times, it has to do with the build up of hot air in the roof spaces and attic. Adelaide or South Australia, has some of the hottest summers and the temperature in the roof builds up significantly.

Install a roof ventilator (what they call whirlybirds), or better yet, go for the latest solar roof ventilator like the Solatube. These are very easy to install onto your roof and cost under $1,000. Roof ventilators suck all the hot air up from your roof and expel it to the outside. Cool air is then drawn in through your eaves. This keeps your roof cool throughout the day.

Your split system air conditioner then does not need to work too hard to cool the home. Significantly consuming less power.

Ceiling fans will also help. Turn on your air conditioner for an hour and let the ceiling fans distribute the cool air throughout a room or space. You will see that this cools your home a lot faster.