During the hottest days, the air conditioner becomes one of the most used devices in Portuguese houses. But convenience has a cost. With the increase in air conditioning consumption, they also shoot light bills, and it is not always easy to see how to reduce the impact without abdicating comfort, but there is a button that can help you control the budget.
According to the Spanish newspaper El Economista, there is a simple solution that can help reduce spending by up to 40 %without resorting to miraculous tricks or investing in new equipment.
The secret is a button that already exists in most air conditioning commands, and many have never used.
The ‘hidden’ button in the command
Energy savings mode can arise under different names: “Ai Smart”, “Eco”, “Intelligent Mode”, or “Energy Economics.” It is an automatic function that adjusts the power of the device depending on temperature, humidity and even the number of people in space.
According to the same source, this functionality allows the air conditioning to adapt in real time, reducing the compressor effort after reaching the ideal temperature and keeping the environment comfortable with lower consumption.
Difference in invoice at the end of the month
A test cited in the video of the publication showed that while a family that maintained normal mode active for a month paid about 65 euros, another that used automatic mode managed to reduce this value to close to 40 euros.
Savings happens because the device avoids continuous starting cycles and maintaining the thermal balance with less effort.
Avoid the most common errors
There are also bad habits that contribute to higher accounts. One of the most frequent errors, according to the same newspaper, is to turn off the air conditioner when you leave home for a short time. Rename the device after 30 or 60 minutes of absence creates superior consumption peaks than it would spend if it kept it on.
For absences below 90 minutes, the recommendation is simple: to leave the device on continuous operation.
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Dehumidifying is not synonymous with savings
Many believe that the way of dehumidification consumes less energy. But second, consumption is similar to the cooling mode.
This option is only justified on days with high moisture, as after summer storms. The ideal, they explain, is starting with cooling for about two hours and only then change to dehumidification.
Air direction and location make a difference
Pointing the airflow to the ceiling, not directly downwards, allows for a more uniform distribution of the temperature. The cold air goes down by gravity, better cooling the whole space.
An example referred to in the Spanish article compares two houses with identical air conditioning models: the one that used the downflow down 35 euros per month on average.
Maintenance and Extra Tricks
Maintenance also has a direct impact on consumption. Cleaning filters every two weeks helps maintain stable air flow and avoid overloads in the system.
Another recommended trick is the use of Blackout curtains during the highest sun exposure, especially between 14h and 17h. This avoids excessive heating of the space and reduces the effort needed to cool.
Save without losing comfort
With minor adjustments in use and maintenance, it is possible to make the air conditioner more efficient and avoid surprises at the end of the month.
Activating automatic mode (this button that many are unaware) can be the first step in keeping the house fresh without warming the wallet.
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