With energy costs on the rise, it’s no wonder that businesses are thinking about how to reduce bills wherever possible. Air conditioning is a vital commodity for keeping cool in the summer months and maintaining a steady temperature in your building year-round – but using it doesn’t come for free.
Thankfully, there are steps you can take to enjoy the benefits of air conditioning without sending your energy bill sky high.
Install an energy efficient air conditioning unit
Get yourself ahead of the game straightaway by ensuring you purchase an eco-friendly air con system. If you invest early on in a highly energy efficient unit, it will benefit you and your business in the long run.
If the air conditioning system in your workplace is old, it’s likely you’ll have to replace it to cut down energy costs. Older air conditioning units don’t have the same focus on energy efficiency as newer models, and are more likely to break and need replacement parts.
At Heritage Heating and Cooling, we stock energy efficient air con units to meet the needs of every business:
All our units are available in wall mounted and ceiling cassette models, and will be fitted by a Gas Safe Certified professional engineer.
Use a programmable thermostat
If you’re turning your air conditioning on and off manually, you run the risk of unintentionally leaving it running one evening when there’s no one there to benefit from it. These days, a simple mistake like this could rack up a serious energy bill.
Prevent this from happening by using a programmable thermostat – a device that adjusts your heating and cooling units to follow a pre-set schedule. It’s an incredibly useful device for keeping both your heating and cooling energy costs down in the workplace.
Modern air con units tend to come equipped with a programmable thermostat as standard, and one of the best ways to ensure you’re getting the most out of your unit is to use the thermostat effectively. You can program your AC unit to change temperature at certain times, and to switch on and off at the times that suit you. You won’t have to think about turning it off at the end of every day – and you’ll save money by only running your air conditioning when it’s needed.
Keep your air con clean and well-maintained
In order for your air con to run at its most efficient and save you energy, it pays to keep it properly maintained and cleaned.
Clean and replace the filters
It’s important that your air conditioner’s filters are cleaned often to ensure its efficiency. Over time, dirt and dust accumulates on the filters inside your air conditioner. Dirty, clogged filters will prevent cool air from circulating efficiently, and the unit will need to work harder to keep things cool – meaning your air conditioning will use more energy.
Clogged filters also increase the risk of the unit overheating and malfunctioning, and the potential for dust and allergens to be circulated around your workspace.
Make sure you check your filters every month and replace or clean them as needed.
Remove debris from the condensate drain
Your air conditioner’s condensate drain runs from the unit to the outside of your building. It provides an outlet for any condensation your unit creates, and it is essential to keep it clear and able to drain properly.
Make sure the condensate drain on the outside of your building is free of debris such as leaves, twigs and anything else. A good way to clear the drain line is by flushing it through with a vinegar solution or warm water, or by passing a stiff wire through the drain channels. Clean the condensate drain every few months to keep your air conditioning running at optimum efficiency.
Keep it maintained
What is one of the best ways to make sure your air conditioning is in peak condition and operating efficiently? Ensure it is properly maintained and regularly serviced.
Calling in professional help to service and maintain your air conditioning system reassures you that everything is working as it should be, and gets you ahead of any potential leaks and problems down the line.
Keep your workplace naturally cool
For an air conditioner to work effectively, it shouldn’t have to fight too hard to cool down a room. A hot, sunny room is going to make your air conditioning work harder than ever – so if you want to save energy, try to help it out where you can.
Keep the sun out in summer
Another step to keeping energy bills down is to keep the workplace naturally cooler. This way, you won’t need to use your air conditioning as frequently, and you won’t need to have the temperature set as cold.
In the summer, keep the blinds drawn during the hottest parts of the day to keep the sunlight out and take the strain off your air conditioning unit.
Paint the interior of your business a light colour
Eliminating the need for additional lighting wherever possible will help keep your energy bills down. Electric lights also produce heat, so having them turned off as much as possible will help keep the temperature down.
Painting your workplace interior a light colour can actually help your air conditioning. Lighter colours reflect the sunlight, which will keep rooms cooler and reduce the need for additional lighting.
With the lights off and the air conditioning running less frequently, the energy you spend keeping the office cool should reduce dramatically.
Get your commercial air conditioning professionally installed
Make things easy for yourself from day one by ensuring your air conditioning is professionally installed. AC units need to be ideally placed to maximise their cooling potential – especially if your workplace is a large space like a factory floor or warehouse. If your space is exceptionally large or has lots of rooms, you may need more than one unit.
An air con unit needs a clear path to circulate cool air, so if it’s installed behind any large structures, you aren’t going to feel the benefit of your shiny new air conditioning unit.
A professionally installed air conditioning system will save you energy from the get-go, but to really get the most out of it you should also use your air con efficiently.
Not every space will need to be kept cool all the time, so don’t waste energy and money cooling down unoccupied rooms. Use a programmable thermostat to keep the air con turned off in vacant rooms. Set the unit to come on ten minutes or so before the room is next due to be used – this should be plenty of time to cool the room down.
At Heritage Heating and Cooling, we’re experts on energy saving air conditioning installation. We also provide repairs and maintenance for heating and air conditioning throughout the UK – so you can rest assured that any issues that arise will be dealt with quickly and professionally.
