People rightly ask what air conditioning costs to run. The honest answer is that it depends on the unit, the room, how much you use it and your electricity tariff. Here's what we can say with confidence — and what we won't promise.
What affects running cost
Three things mainly: the size of the unit, how often and how hard you run it, and your electricity tariff. A 2.5kW unit in a bedroom used for a few hours a night costs less to run than a 7kW in a large living room running all afternoon.
How well the room is insulated and how hot it gets also matter — a sunny conservatory costs more to cool than a shaded bedroom. We can't give you a number without knowing your room and your use, and we won't pretend otherwise.
How inverter technology helps
All the units we fit use inverter technology. A non-inverter unit switches on at full power, cools the room, then switches off — repeating that cycle over and over. An inverter unit adjusts its output to match the room, running at the speed it needs rather than full blast or nothing.
That means it doesn't work harder than it needs to. Once the room reaches the set temperature, an inverter ticks over quietly to hold it, rather than stopping and starting.
Heating vs cooling costs
Because the units work as heat pumps, heating mode moves heat from outside air rather than generating it. That can make heating a room with air conditioning an efficient option compared to some electric heaters — but we won't quote savings we can't prove against your specific setup.
If you want a real sense of running costs for your room, call John. He'll talk you through what to expect honestly, based on the unit and how you plan to use it.
What we won't claim
We won't tell you air conditioning 'pays for itself in three years' or 'halves your energy bills'. Those claims get thrown around, and they're usually based on one customer's situation, not yours. Running costs depend on too many variables for a blanket promise.
What we will do is recommend the right size for your room, fit it properly, and remind you to service it — all of which keep running costs as low as they sensibly can be.
Keeping costs down
The biggest factors in running cost are the ones you control: setting a sensible temperature, not leaving it running in an empty room, and keeping the filters clean. A serviced unit with clean filters runs more efficiently than one that's been neglected.
Many units have WiFi and app control, so you can turn them on before you get home rather than leaving them running all day. That alone makes a real difference.
Common questions
Is air conditioning expensive to run?
It depends on the unit, how much you use it and your tariff. Inverter units adjust their output to match the room rather than switching on and off, which helps. We won't quote figures we can't stand behind — call John for an honest view.
Does heating mode cost more than cooling?
Not necessarily. Because the units work as heat pumps, heating mode moves warmth from outside air rather than generating it. The actual cost depends on how cold it is and how hard the unit has to work.
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