Save
Feeling the heat: Aussie aircons rack up $2bn bill
Australians are set to spend $2 billion on air-conditioning bills this summer alone, according to new research, despite one-third of Australians not using air conditioners at all.
Feeling the heat: Aussie aircons rack up $2bn bill
Australians are set to spend $2 billion on air-conditioning bills this summer alone, according to new research, despite one-third of Australians not using air conditioners at all.
Comparison website Finder undertook a survey which found that the average Australian household uses their air conditioner for an average six hours every day during the peak warmer months, and it’s costing us around $8.41 each day for the privilege.
A whopping 69 per cent of Aussies – or 6.8 million households – acknowledged a daily reliance on their air conditioner to get through the hottest days of the season.
Acknowledging that Australia is facing its hottest summer on record, Finder’s energy expert, Graham Cooke, has warned that heavy air-conditioner usage is damaging to both the environment and the consumer’s hip pocket.
There’s a number of things Australians can do to stay cool before resorting to the air conditioner, he offered.
“A fan is a much more cost-friendly option, and if it’s strategically placed to get a cross-flow it can be quite effective, too.”
Air conditioners “should only be switched on when it becomes unbearable without it”, he advised.
And with 600,000 households also admitting in the survey to keeping the air conditioner on even when they aren’t home, he commented that “if you’re not at home, you don’t need your aircon running”.
“Aussies need to stop overindulging and expecting to walk into an icy cool room as soon as they get home,” he said.
And when you are at home, “the perfect temperature setting for your aircon is 24-25 degrees, anything cooler than that is unnecessary”, Mr Cooke flagged in response to the survey’s finding that the typical household runs their air conditioner at 22 degrees.
“Every degree you increase the thermostat could shave 10 per cent off your bill,” the energy expert said.
“Don’t let the balmy nights get the better of you,” Mr Cooke said.
“Keep your aircon usage in check if you don’t want to end up with a hefty bill at the end of the summer,” he warned.
About the author
About the author
Expenses
Half-price flight scheme launches today
Aussies are being offered half-price flights as the government looks to spur domestic travel to regions it has defined as key to economic recovery. ...Read more
Expenses
Insurance prices rise despite payout falls
The COVID-19 pandemic has seen insurer payouts fall by $500 million, but Australian consumers are continuing to pay more, the consumer watchdog has revealed. ...Read more
Expenses
CBA cops civil proceedings for overcharged interest
ASIC has commenced civil penalty proceedings in the Federal Court against the Commonwealth Bank over the bank charging an interest rate on business overdraft accounts that was substantially higher tha...Read more
Expenses
What are the top 10 most expensive cities in the world?
Logistical issues and currency fluctuations caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has seen the most expensive cities in the world drastically change, new research has revealed. ...Read more
Expenses
Sydney adviser pleads guilty to misappropriating $2.9m
A Sydney financial adviser has pleaded guilty to misappropriating $2.9 million in his clients’ funds. ...Read more
Expenses
Telstra set to refund 10,000 customers
Ten thousand past and present Telstra customers are entitled to a refund due to being overcharged a total of $2.5 million. ...Read more
Expenses
iSelect in hot water for energy plan comparisons
Comparison tool iSelect has been ordered to pay $8.5 million in penalties for making false and misleading representations about its electricity comparison service. ...Read more
Expenses
Pandemic puts stopper in big spending
Two-thirds of Australians have seen their finances impacted by COVID-19, according to new research – and it’s affecting everything from holidays to houses and careers. ...Read more
Is the market overheating; should ETFs take your fancy, and what’s happening to the low and middle income tax offset?
Listen now
Home values up 30% (or are they); NFTs taking the world by storm, and why Keating thinks Aussies will be ‘poor’ in retirement
Listen now
Raging floods, the tech stock bubble and the ongoing SG debate
Listen now
Meet the Manager with Trilogy’s Philip Ryan: RBA rates and property price growth
Listen now
Expenses
Half-price flight scheme launches today
Aussies are being offered half-price flights as the government looks to spur domestic travel to regions it has defined as key to economic recovery. ...Read more
Expenses
Insurance prices rise despite payout falls
The COVID-19 pandemic has seen insurer payouts fall by $500 million, but Australian consumers are continuing to pay more, the consumer watchdog has revealed. ...Read more
Expenses
CBA cops civil proceedings for overcharged interest
ASIC has commenced civil penalty proceedings in the Federal Court against the Commonwealth Bank over the bank charging an interest rate on business overdraft accounts that was substantially higher tha...Read more
Expenses
What are the top 10 most expensive cities in the world?
Logistical issues and currency fluctuations caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has seen the most expensive cities in the world drastically change, new research has revealed. ...Read more
Expenses
Sydney adviser pleads guilty to misappropriating $2.9m
A Sydney financial adviser has pleaded guilty to misappropriating $2.9 million in his clients’ funds. ...Read more
Expenses
Telstra set to refund 10,000 customers
Ten thousand past and present Telstra customers are entitled to a refund due to being overcharged a total of $2.5 million. ...Read more
Expenses
iSelect in hot water for energy plan comparisons
Comparison tool iSelect has been ordered to pay $8.5 million in penalties for making false and misleading representations about its electricity comparison service. ...Read more
Expenses
Pandemic puts stopper in big spending
Two-thirds of Australians have seen their finances impacted by COVID-19, according to new research – and it’s affecting everything from holidays to houses and careers. ...Read more
More articles
Website Notifications
Get notifications in real-time for staying up to date with content that matters to you.
