Everyone has their favourite thermostat temperature settings. Some people like it warm and others like it a bit chilly in the house. But is that favourite temperature costing you money throughout the winter?
We want to help you figure out what to do with your air conditioners during winter. Instead of referring you to websites with various home temperature studies, we have compiled all the necessary information here.
We’ll examine the effects of various heating methods on your electricity bill and which is best for heating your home and saving money. We will also examine the best temperature for your air conditioner in winter and how the size of ducted systems affects your home’s heating costs.
Average Cost To Heat a Home
In Australia, engineers focus more on beating the heat than trying to insulate homes during the winter. A lot of the warm air in a house disappears, even though the house is well insulated. Unfortunately, heating costs tend to be higher than cooling costs.
During the winter, people use different methods to heat their homes. While some rely on wood, gas, or electric heaters, the home’s HVAC systems and AC units are still the most popular and reliable heating options among Aussies.
We won’t be covering wood heating since those costs depend on the availability of wood in and around your home. Instead, we will be looking at the expenses of gas, electric, and HVAC systems.
To get a realistic price comparison, we based the following numbers on a Melbourne home built before 2005, heating during usual hours on weekdays and weekends. Also, we will only cover the cost to cool single rooms instead of a whole house to give you a more accurate view of heating your home.
Average Costs for Gas Heaters
In some places, it is much cheaper to use gas to heat the home than AC units or electric heaters. In Australia, that is not the case. Heating a small room with a gas heater costs about $170 yearly, while medium-sized rooms tend to cost $395 a year to heat.
Large rooms cost about $730 a year to heat in the winter. While these prices seem high, they aren’t the most expensive.
Average Costs for Electric Heaters
Unfortunately, portable electric heaters are inefficient. Small rooms cost about $385 a year to heat, while medium-sized rooms cost about $925. Larger rooms are unrealistically expensive to heat, costing a staggering $1,890 yearly.
According to Fire and Rescue NSW, home fires increase by 10% in the winter because of space heaters and electric blankets. We recommend steering clear of electric heaters and using only gas or air conditioners during winter.
Average Costs for HVAC Systems
Air conditioners have the lowest heating cost of all the above heating methods. They also have the added benefit of being able to heat and cool houses. An air conditioner will provide lasting comfort at significantly reduced prices with proper maintenance and care.
Air conditioners are best for cost, efficiency, temperature control, and space. Cooling small rooms costs $140 a year to heat, while medium-sized rooms cost $310 yearly. Even large spaces like living rooms only cost about $640 yearly to heat.
What Is the Best Winter Temperature for My Home?
The ideal temperature depends on the time of day and the house’s inhabitants. The best temperature for your home at night should range from 15.6°C to 19.4°C. You’ll be comfortable in sleep clothes and thick blankets at this temperature.
During the day, the best temperature is 24°C since temperatures can fluctuate wildly depending on the sun’s position in the sky. Setting a lower temperature will save you money on a frigid day, as will setting a higher temperature on warm days.
Of course, this depends on your preferences and how dedicated you are to saving money.
Size Always Matters
Air conditioner size also influences the ideal temperature for your home. If your AC is too small to cool your home, even setting it to more extreme temperatures won’t do you much good. Installing a larger AC unit will give you more flexibility in that regard.
Heat Your Home in Winter With ActronAir
Even though your favourite setting might not be the most efficient temperature for your air conditioner, our AC units can keep up with the stress. We design and build the highest-quality AC units in Australia to handle your indoor temperature needs. With an ActronAir AC unit heating and cooling your home, everyone will be comfortable during the coolest and warmest times of the year.
We are an Australian owned and operated company since 1984. Explore our blog to learn about caring for your air conditioners during winter and summer weather, or call ActronAir at 1300 522 722 to find out which AC system is best for your home.
