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The heat in Malaysia can sometimes get too frustrating. When this happens, the air conditioner is the perfect solution to bring down the heat by cooling down confined spaces.

The highest ever recorded temperature in Malaysia was 40.1 °C, and it would get really uncomfortable in those temperatures. In fact, research has shown that the ideal temperature to work in is somewhere between 22 °C and 24 °C.

While we can master to control the ambient temperature in confined spaces with air conditioner, this could also burn a whole in our pockets through electricity bills if it gets unchecked.



How to save money while using the air conditioner?

So how do we reduce electricity bills when using the air conditioner? The answer is quite simple, and that is by switching it to DRY mode.

As there are many air conditioner brands in the market these days, each of them may have different technologies or other modes that come with different models or units. In this case, it is best for us to highlight the 2 most popular modes - COOL and DRY

The Cool mode is usually represented by an image of a snowflake , while the Dry mode is usually represented by an image of a dewdrop.

By using the Dry mode, it would help save electricity usage by as much as 30%. This happens because the fan unit runs slower, and most importantly the compressor unit runs less frequently when compared to using Cool mode.

Tip: Service your air conditioner regularly to have it run most efficiently for energy savings. Refer to your service manual for more information

If you don't already have an air conditioner that has these functions, maybe you want to consider investing in one. Try Daikin! This innovative brand has a comprehensive range of products and services to meet your specific needs. Not only you'll able to change the temperature, but it also offers you humidification/dehumidification, air purification, and auto filter cleaning. Plus, with human detection feature, you're able to save even more.



Humidity? How does humidity make us feel cooler?

One of the most important factors that would affect the ambient relative temperature is the humidity. This is because, with lower humidity, it would make our bodies feel cooler than the actual temperature.

As far as humidity goes, if the air is at 100% relative humidity, sweat from our bodies would not be able to evaporate into the air, and thus, making us feel hotter than what the actual temperature is. Vice versa, with low humidity, the dry air would allow our sweat to evaporate easier, letting us feel cooler than the actual temperature.

The Dry mode’s main goal is to bring the relative humidity down to a comfortable level of between 40% to 60%. For example, when using Dry mode on an air conditioner at a temperature of 25 °C, it would make the ambient temperature feel like 23 °C or 22 °C with a relative humidity of 60%.

Tip: If you think setting it setting your air conditioner to the lowest temperature so that it can cool down the room faster, it is especially not true for non-inverter units. The compressor works by switching on or off, not by going stronger or weaker. Therefore, setting the lowest temperature is only to tell the air conditioner to achieve the intended temperature. Once it is achieved, the compressor switches off until the temperature rises, and the whole process repeats



What is the difference between the dry and cool modes?

So how does Dry mode work when compared with Cool mode? Here is a simple explanation to describe how it works if we set the thermostat temperature to 25 °C:

Dry Mode

- Unit switches on. Target humidity is within 40% to 60% range to achieve 25 °C
- Compressor and fan starts, humidity goes down to 60% as air condensates into water
- Target temperature of 25 °C achieved, BOTH fan and compressor switches off
- When temperature rises, the whole process is repeated

Cool Mode

- Unit switches on. Target is to achieve 25 °C
- Compressor and fan starts to achieve temperature of 25 °C
- Target temperature of 25 °C achieved, ONLY compressor switches off
- When temperature rises, the whole process is repeated

Although the above example seems similar, the compressor actually runs less frequently in the Dry mode when compared to Cool mode.

In an air conditioner, the compressor uses the most electricity, and if the compressor runs less frequently, it may also mean less energy consumption, saving you money on electricity bills.

The above method may work for both non-inverter and inverter units, depending on models. While inverter units claim to consume less electricity (within the 30% to 50% range), the price for an inverter unit is more expensive when compared to a non-inverter unit. Therefore, it is best to invest in an inverter unit if you plan to have the air conditioner switched on for long periods, in the 5 to 10 hours usage per day.



Any other ways to save more electricity?


If you intend on saving even more on electricity usage while using your air conditioner, the best option is to set the temperature to a higher level that you feel comfortable with.

25 °C is the magic number based on experts’ recommendations, but if you think that you are able to feel comfortable in 28 °C, it should be a better choice since it would use less electricity, saving you more money on electricity bills while using the air conditioner.

Tip: If you set the temperature to be lower than 25 °C, more electricity will be used as the compressor runs for a longer time period to bring the temperature down. Wear fewer clothes to feel cooler
Read also: Looks great and save even more with LED lights



Spread the word!

We hope that PropSocial has been able to enlighten you on the differences between the Dry and the Cool modes in efforts to help you save money on electricity bills while using the air conditioner.

Please share this article if you think that the information here would bring benefit to the people you know.



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So with an inverter type Aircon plus using dry mode. The power consumption will even be lower? 

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@domng This I dunno, coz mine is not inverter type XD

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@Zara 

I have heard that with an Inverter Air-con... you need to power on for at least 6 hours consecutively to get some savings. Hence you see more and more fridge having inverter model. 

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@admin_ps good sharing