With winter fast approaching, many Aussies across the country will be dusting off their air conditioning units and heaters to keep their homes warm.
But if you want to keep costs low for the next few months, there is a perfect temperature range that won’t break the bank and hopefully stop you from shivering.
Finder’s utilities expert, Mariam Gabaji, told Yahoo Lifestyle that you want it set between 18 and 20 degrees Celsius.
“Each extra degree can add about 5 to 10 per cent to your running costs. So you don’t want it to be too high,” she said.
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What’s the best air conditioner temperature for winter?
The Goldilocks zone for many heaters will be in that 2-degree margin, as it’s the most efficient setting, especially for a single reverse split-cycle air conditioner.
That’s a machine that can both heat and cool.
That 18-20 degree setting was a surprise, at least to this Yahoo reporter, since I thought it would be much higher to stave off the cool air creeping in.
But if the temperature outside your home is a grim 5 degrees, then 20 degrees will be a welcome balmy reprieve.
Do you have a story? Email stew.perrie@yahooinc.com
In terms of ways to heat your home, split-cycle air conditioners are the most efficient.
Energy provider AGL said they “absorb the heat from the air outside” and use that energy to “help heat the air inside”, and they can disperse that heat across a room much faster than a traditional plug-in heater.
Other types of heaters have to create heat, and that’s why they can be more expensive to operate.
Finder said a reverse-cycle air conditioner should cost around $155 to run for the whole of winter.
Conversely, a convection heater is the most expensive electric option to run at $270, while a gas heater will set you back just over $300.
A 1,000-watt electric heater will roughly cost 32 cents per hour to run, but an electric blanket is only 4 cents, according to Finder.
If you want to run your air conditioner efficiently this winter, keep it between 18 to 20 degrees.
(Ekaterina Goncharova via Getty Images)Millions of Aussies unable to use heaters during winter because of cost
Finder data released exclusively to Yahoo Lifestyle found millions of Aussies will avoid turning on their heaters this winter to save money.
Nearly 80 per cent of respondents to a recent survey from the consumer group said they were taking active steps to keep their electricity bills down and the humble heater is on the chopping block.
Close to half (49 per cent) said they would just wear extra layers, and 45 per cent said they’ll turn off unused appliances.
Finder’s utilities expert, Mariam Gabaji, said Aussies should check their electricity plan against the market to see if there’s a better deal available.
(Finder)
For those who are using a heater, only a third (36 per cent) will specifically have it in the room they’re using, rather than heating the whole home.
Twelve per cent said the heater is getting stored in a cupboard and won’t be turned on at all over the coming months, which equates to around 1.2 million households.
“It’s confronting to see so many Australians deciding it’s simply too expensive to stay warm this winter,” Mariam told Yahoo Lifestyle.
“Energy prices remain stubbornly high, and it’s forcing people into difficult trade-offs between comfort and cost. For some, that means enduring a cold home.
“Going without proper heating isn’t just uncomfortable – it can have real impacts on health and wellbeing, particularly for older Australians and young children.”
She urged people to compare their energy plans with what’s on the market to see if they can get a cheaper deal.
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