Air conditioner running continuously, electricity bills increase rapidly
In the days when Hanoi enters a period of intense heat, the temperature at times reaches the threshold of 40 degrees Celsius, causing the demand for electricity in households to increase.
In particular, cooling devices such as air conditioners or steam fans almost have to operate continuously day and night.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Thu Hien (Cau Giay Ward, Hanoi) said that her family's electricity bill this month has doubled compared to the previous month, due to a sharp increase in electricity demand.
This month, there are many days of prolonged hot weather, the temperature is too high, so my house has to turn on the air conditioner continuously. Before, I only turned it on in the evening, but now I almost have to use it all day. Looking at the electricity bill is very stressful," Ms. Hien shared.
Not only Ms. Hien, Ms. Do Lan Phuong's family (Hoan Kiem ward, Hanoi) also encountered a similar situation when household electricity costs increased sharply after only a few weeks of prolonged heat.
My family tries to save by limiting turning on many devices at the same time, but it is still very difficult to reduce electricity bills because heat protection is a necessary need. Some days it's too hot, the air conditioner has to run almost continuously," Ms. Phuong said.
Reasons for the sudden increase in electricity consumption
Discussing this issue, Dr. Trinh Quoc Dung (energy expert, Faculty of Thermal Energy, Mechanical School, Hanoi University of Science and Technology) said that the sudden increase in electricity load during hot weather mainly comes from air conditioners and cooling equipment.
In the summer, air conditioners and cooling devices alone can account for up to 50% of the total electricity consumption in households," said Dr. Trinh Quoc Dung.
According to him, the higher the outdoor temperature, the more the cooling equipment has to operate at high capacity and for longer hours, and the electricity bills also increase.
Many families think that just turning on the air conditioner for a few more hours will not have much impact, but in fact, when the hot weather lasts continuously, electricity consumption increases very clearly. This is the reason why electricity consumption increases rapidly," Dr. Trinh Quoc Dung shared.
Besides the weather factor, he also said that the improper use of equipment is the reason for the large power consumption.
Currently, many cold and air conditioning systems are not optimized in operation. Lack of periodic maintenance and repair can reduce energy efficiency by 10-30%," Dr. Trinh Quoc Dung assessed.
To limit electricity consumption in the hot season, he recommends that households pay attention to using cooling equipment properly and maintain it periodically.
People should regularly clean air conditioners, set reasonable temperatures and limit continuous turns on and off to avoid unnecessary power consumption," Dr. Trinh Quoc Dung emphasized.
