With many people continuing to work and study from home, these warm, humid conditions can affect concentration levels and can cause discomfort resulting in a bad night’s sleep.
Air conditioning is widely regarded as the best way of delivering truly cooled air into a room, however with household budgets stretched and many people worried about rising energy cost increases, cost effective cooling solutions are vital. Chris Michael, MD of leading air purifier specialists Meaco, gives his tips on keeping a room cool so that once switched on, an air conditioner runs as cost effectively as possible.
Cool the room before turning on the air conditioner to save money
It’s important to try to not let the room get hot in the first place, so keep windows, curtains and blinds closed throughout the day to stop the heat from the sun warming up the room. If you need to open a window to allow fresh air through the space, then only open the window when the outside air temperature is cooler than the room temperature. If you do want some fresh air, then look to open windows and doors at opposite ends of the house or room so that you get a through breeze and you are not just increasing the temperature of the room by trapping even more hot air within the room. When you do open doors and windows keep blinds and curtains closed to prevent solar gain from heating up the room.
If getting a good night’s sleep is the main purpose of the air conditioner, then we know that putting the air conditioner on mid-afternoon, with the blinds and curtains drawn and the door closed, is the key to efficiently cooling the room down ready for bedtime. Aim for an ideal bedroom temperature of around 16-18°C (60-65°F). Temperatures over 24°C (71°F) are likely to cause restlessness, while a cold room below 16°C (60°F) will make it difficult to fall asleep.
Turn off electrical devices
All electrical products give off heat, so if items are not being used, turn them off. This saves money in terms of electricity and stops them from warming the room up more than necessary.
Sleep Cool
Look at using sheets and not duvets in the hotter months for bedding, made from natural fibres such as cotton or linen for extra cooling. The same goes for pyjamas. If it is exceptionally hot, try placing them for a short while in the freezer before bed.
Sleep with pets on the bed? Their body heat might be welcome in the winter, less so on a hot summer’s night! Instead try putting a hot water bottle in the freezer and then place it somewhere comfortable in your bed to snuggle up to.
Have a warm shower or bath about 30 minutes before bedtime to relax and help your body to cool naturally. It should be warm, as taking a cold shower will push blood to your skin to warm you up.
Keep a glass of cool water handy to keep hydrated if you wake up feeling hot and bothered.
Once pre-cooling is done the air conditioner can be turned off, or just run in fan mode.
Meaco has a range of portable air conditioners, the MeacoCool MC Series, with six BTU model sizes to choose from, providing localised cooling in rooms from 12M² to 36m² and an emphasis on low noise and energy efficiency. In the low fan speed setting, the sound pressure level of just 53dB(A) makes this an easy portable air conditioner to live with.
Pre-cooling a bedroom is easy to do with the timer function that allows users to set both an on and off timer from anytime between one and 24 hours. The MeacoCool series also use R290 refrigerant which is kinder to the environment than older refrigerant gases. They come with an A energy rating, to help save on electricity bills. An easy-to-use remote control provides full control of the air conditioner, enabling the user to adjust the temperature and engage a sleep mode to ensure a restful night’s sleep.
