In summer, the temperature in the rooms often rises above the comfort level. This not only causes inconvenience, but can seriously affect health.
Agree, open windows and a fan, even in not the strongest heat, cannot cope with maintaining a comfortable temperature in the room. The best solution to the temperature problem is to install an air conditioner. But what temperature can be considered comfortable and is it not dangerous for health to constantly stay in a room with the air conditioner turned on?
In this article, we will analyze in detail what temperature to turn on on the air conditioner so that the heat does not annoy you, what needs to be done so that it does not get sick, and how to properly use the climate split system not only for cooling the room, but also for heating in case of emergency need.
The content of the article:
- How to set the temperature correctly in summer?
- Why is temperature difference important?
- Efficient and economical use
- Airing the air-conditioned room
- How to avoid a cold?
- Comfortable stay in an air-conditioned room
- What temperature to set for sleep?
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Using the air conditioner for heating
- Preparing climate equipment for winter
- What are winter kits for?
- Conclusions and useful video on the topic
How to set the temperature correctly in summer?
Comfort is a very relative concept. Some may feel good even at 30 degrees, for others it may seem like a real hell. There are no norms for the temperature of the air conditioner in the legislation, but there are requirements SanPiN 2.1.2.2645-10regulating the temperature in residential buildings during the warm season.
It is from this document that it is worth starting first of all SanPiN 2.1.2.2645-10 states that optimal room temperature will be 22-25 degrees. You should also pay attention to the instructions for the air conditioner, it will indicate what temperature is optimally set.
If it is 30 degrees outside the window, then the optimum temperature of the air conditioner will be about 25. SanPiN 2.1.2.2645-10 allows deviations up to 20-28 degrees. But at this temperature, the vast majority will be uncomfortable and it is better not to put it on the air conditioner.
Some models of air conditioners can automatically adjust the temperature in the room, based on how many degrees it is outside
It is recommended to set the desired temperature in several stages.
For a heat of 30 degrees, it will look like this:
- turn on the air conditioner and let it cool the room to 28 degrees;
- after 10-15 minutes, you can lower the temperature to 25 degrees;
- after 30-40 minutes the temperature can be lowered to 23 degrees.
It is not recommended to cool the air below 23 degrees, since in this case the blood vessels begin to narrow in a person.
This is a natural protection against hypothermia, but it causes discomfort in the form of drying out of the mucous membranes of the nose, throat and eyes.
Why is temperature difference important?
Modern climate control equipment works wonders. Outside, it can be a terrible heat of 40 degrees, but indoors, the air conditioner can maintain a comfortable coolness of 20 degrees.
But it should be borne in mind that sudden temperature changes of more than 7 degrees can cause SARS with further exacerbations, up to pneumonia. If you go from a hot street into a cool room with air conditioning, you will feel comfortable. However, at the same time, the risk of getting sick will increase several times.
If you stay indoors all day, the temperature difference can be neglected. But being under a cold stream all the time is not recommended
Therefore, it is necessary to set the temperature of the air conditioner in rooms where people often enter and exit, taking into account the above difference.
If we are talking about office space, then failure to follow this simple rule can lead to the fact that all employees go on sick leave.
Efficient and economical use
We figured out what the optimal temperature should be maintained by the air conditioner in the summer. Setting up the air conditioner and enjoying comfort is quite simple, however, it can cost a pretty penny. Air conditioning equipment consumes a large amount of electricity.
And if you do not want the electricity bill to increase several times, then you should follow a few simple rules:
- Curtain curtains. This will protect the room from heating by the sun, which means that less energy will be needed to cool the room.
- Set the minimum air flow rate. Yes, in this case the room will cool down a little more slowly, but 15-20 minutes will definitely not be critical.
Be sure to close windows and doors indoors. - Adjust the angle of the horizontal louvers parallel to the floor. In this case, the cooled air will go down and the hot air will go up. This will allow you to quickly bring the room to the desired temperature.
If your model does not have the ability to adjust the blinds, then install a protective screen directly under the air conditioner.
In this case, the air flow will be dissipated immediately, which will increase the efficiency of the air conditioner.
For maximum efficiency, the protective screen should be installed close to the indoor unit. But at the same time, it should not interfere with the movement of horizontal blinds.
The cost of protective screens is small - from 1000 rubles. But you can make it yourself from plexiglass or plexiglass.
Airing the air-conditioned room
There is another important thing to consider. The air conditioner does not interact with the outside air in any way. He drives the same air around the room, and the external installation is only responsible for removing excess heat from the room.
Between the indoor and outdoor unit of the air conditioner, only the refrigerant moves, as a rule, it is freon. It removes excess heat from the room, but does not renew the air
Air exchange is also important for maintaining comfortable indoor conditions. And if you do not ventilate the room for a long time, then the level of oxygen will decrease, and the level of carbon dioxide will rise. Of course, this is not fatal, but a lack of oxygen can cause a feeling of fatigue and drowsiness.
Be sure to turn off the air conditioner before ventilating the room. Open windows and, if possible, doors. This creates a draft, but allows the air to be updated very quickly. It is desirable that at this moment there was no one in the room, especially children. If there is no opportunity to free the room, then it is better to limit yourself to windows.
We said above that when the air conditioner is on, it is necessary to close the windows, and when airing, turn off the air conditioner. Let's see why this needs to be done.
Modern air conditioners do not blow all the time with a given power. They cool the room to a predetermined temperature, after which they begin to work to maintain it. This makes it possible not to wear out the resource of equipment and filters so quickly and save energy.
If the windows are opened when the air conditioner is on, then active air exchange will begin to occur in the room. Hot air from the street will replace the cooled air in the room. In this case, the air conditioner will operate at full capacity, in fact, cooling the street.
Powerful models may be able to maintain the set temperature even with the windows open, but this will lead to their rapid wear.
If you forget about it once, then nothing terrible will happen. However, by doing this on a regular basis, there is a high chance of being left without an air conditioner and with a huge electricity bill.
We also recommend reading our other article, where we described in detail air conditioner working principle.
How to avoid a cold?
You can often hear that air conditioning, especially in summer, is the cause of a cold. This is mainly due to non-compliance with the temperature difference between indoors and outdoors. But besides this, there are two more factors that can cause colds.
The first is air currents, even a short stay under a powerful cold air stream can lead to a cold. The easiest and most obvious way to avoid this is to not be under it. If this cannot be avoided, for example, your workplace is located there, then it is worth installing a protective screen.
The second reason is less obvious - pathogenic bacteria. The air conditioner constantly drives the same air in the room. And in order to prevent dust and other small particles from clogging into important parts, filters are installed.
It is recommended to clean them at least once a year. In addition to health care, this will significantly extend the life of the air conditioner.
You can clean the filters yourself. To do this, you need to remove the cover of the indoor unit, carefully remove them and rinse them under water with cleaning products.
If you do not clean and change them in time, then the filters become a breeding ground for germs and bacteria.
Comfortable stay in an air-conditioned room
The temperature is the most important factor, but not the only one, which is affected by the air conditioning in the room.
In addition to maintaining the temperature at the set value, the air conditioner dries the air. This leads to the fact that the mucous membrane of the nose and throat can dry out. For some people, this causes discomfort in the form of a runny nose and sore throat.
The optimum humidity is considered to be 40-60%. It is measured with a hygrometer. Modern devices, in addition to humidity, also report other important components of the microclimate.
You can avoid this if you install in the room humidifier. It is also recommended to drink more water, this will protect your mucous membranes from drying out.
What temperature to set for sleep?
Properly set temperature on the air conditioner can provide you with a comfortable sleep. Many modern models have a "sleep mode", just turn it on and you can go to bed. The desired temperature will be set automatically.
If it is not there, then the settings must be set manually:
- Raise the temperature by 1-2 degrees above daytime. At night, the human body cools down and additional heating is required.
- Adjust the blinds so that the air currents do not go to the bed.
- Set the shaft speed to minimum. In addition to observing the temperature regime, this will make the air conditioner work quieter, which also contributes to a comfortable sleep.
Based on general recommendations, it turns out that the optimal temperature for sleep will be 25-27 degrees.
"Sleep mode" works according to the following principle. First, it resets the fan speed to a minimum. Secondly, it directs the blinds so that the air flows parallel to the floor. Thirdly, it raises the temperature to the desired level.
Some models increase the temperature in several stages. At first, the temperature rises to 25-26 degrees, and by the middle of the night to 27. This allows you to fall asleep in comfortable conditions and not freeze.
The only problem that can arise during sleep is ventilation. Having set the optimal temperature of the air conditioner for the night, do not forget that the windows must be closed, otherwise the equipment will work for wear.
If the flow of clean air is very important, then you can leave a small gap in the window, but this is an acceptable maximum.
On modern double-glazed windows there is a micro-ventilation mode. It will be a good compromise between fresh air and comfortable temperature at night.
Another solution to this problem is to air the room just before going to bed. During sleep, a person consumes significantly less oxygen and this should be enough for the whole night.
Using the air conditioner for heating
Many modern models can not only cool the air, but also work in heating mode. However, there are a lot of nuances that should be taken into account.
The most important of these is the temperature range. The lower bar for most models is at a level of -5 to +5 degrees.
It is important to consider that thermometers have measurement errors. Do not turn on the air conditioner for heating at the minimum allowable temperature
If we talk about inverter air conditioners, then their lower limit is at the level of -15 degrees. At the same time, they have a high EER coefficient up to 4. It shows work efficiency. For every kilowatt of energy expended, such air conditioners will produce 4 kilowatts of heat.
If you turn on the air conditioner for heating at a temperature below the permissible one, then you should prepare for unpleasant consequences. The oil in the refrigerant will thicken, causing the compressor to wear out. If you actively use the air conditioner for heating in the cold season, then it may fail in the first season, and no warranty service will help you.
Another important point regarding the temperature regime. Despite the declared operating temperature, you should not turn on the air conditioner for heating at low temperatures outside.
In this case, condensate will begin to freeze on the heat exchanger, which is located on the street. For climate equipment, this is not fatal, but under such conditions, performance the air conditioner is significantly reduced, which leads to additional wear and tear of equipment and the cost of electricity.
Some expensive inverter models can work for heating even at temperatures down to -25 degrees. But even in this case, it is worth checking with the manufacturer whether it is possible to use a particular model for heating on an ongoing basis.
The optimum temperature at which turn the air conditioner on +5 degrees is considered. In this case, you will keep warm, and there will be no wear on the equipment.
However, we recommend using this function only in the off-season in isolated cases. If in the cold season you have problems with heating the room, then use special heating equipment.
Preparing climate equipment for winter
Manufacturers of household air conditioners recommend preserving equipment during the cold season. But if you still decide that you will use your air conditioner for heating in the winter, then you need to to prepare.
The first thing to do is to clean the heat exchanger of the indoor unit from moisture residues. To do this, just turn on the air conditioner for a few hours - the moisture will evaporate by itself. Waterproof the outdoor unit.
To do this, just cover it with some kind of waterproof material. Clean the air conditioner filters, you can do it yourself. If you are worried about the safety of your equipment, then it is better to entrust winterization to a specialist.
What are winter kits for?
Often, manufacturers offer to buy special winter kits for the air conditioner. Some models of climate control equipment are equipped with them by default. The winter set does not allow using the air conditioner for heating, it expands the temperature range for cooling the premises.
That is, if your air conditioner has a temperature minimum of -5 degrees, the winter set will reduce it to -15-20 degrees when working to cool the room. But this does not mean that it will be possible to turn on the air conditioner for heating at such low temperatures.
As a rule, a winter kit is useless for an apartment, but if we are talking, for example, about a server room, then such a kit is vital
It consists of several elements:
- Engine speed controller. Controls the temperature of the refrigerant condensate in the outdoor unit. If necessary, it slows down the air conditioner motor to prevent low temperature refrigerant from entering the indoor unit.
- Drain tube heater. Provides uninterrupted operation of the water drain system.
- Compressor crankcase heater. Responsible for heating thickened oil before starting the air conditioner.
There is no universal solution, for each model the manufacturer creates its own winter kits. Some air conditioners, in principle, do not have the ability to install the above elements.
Therefore, before buying, be sure to consult a specialist if expanding the temperature range is a necessity.
The cost of the winter kit depends on the specific model. The price range is from 2000 to 10000 rubles. To avoid problems, you should purchase it only from an authorized dealer.
With a small capacity of the compressor crankcase heater, you will have to wait a long time before starting the air conditioner. Waiting time can be up to 30-40 minutes.
Starting the air conditioning equipment without sufficient warming up of the compressor can lead to a quick breakdown. The need to monitor this is the main disadvantage when working with a winter kit.
Conclusions and useful video on the topic
How to use the conditioner correctly:
A properly tuned air conditioner will create comfortable temperature conditions in the room. In this case, it will not be possible not to worry about the fact that someone will catch a cold.
However, more complex manipulations with climate equipment, for example, installing a winter kit, should be entrusted to specialists. In this case, you will be sure that everything is done correctly, and your air conditioner will not fail prematurely.
If you have questions or can supplement our material with interesting information on the topic of the article, please leave your comments, ask questions - the contact block is located under the article.
